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NGC 4472 is home to five ultraluminous X-ray sources hosted by globular clusters. These sources have been suggested as good black hole candidates in extragalactic globular clusters$-$ a highly sought after population that may provide observational information regarding the progenitors of merging black hole binaries. In this body of work, we present X-ray and optical follow up to one of these sources, CXOUJ1229410+075744 (GCU1). We find no evidence of [OIII] optical emission in GCU1 which indicates a lack of significant evidence for super-Eddington outflows, unlike what is seen in a handful of ULXs in extragalactic GCs. X-ray monitoring from 2019-2021 shows no detected X-ray emission above a few $\times$ $10^{38}$ erg/s. Comparisons of the multi-wavelength properties to disc-dominated, near Eddington Galactic black hole low mass X-ray binaries (GRS 1915+105 and XTEJ1817-330) suggests that GCU1 may show similar behaviour to GRS 1915+105 in terms of X-ray variability and similar relationships between $L_X$ and $kT$, with GCU1 showing maximum X-ray luminosities one order of magnitude higher., Accepted to MNRAS

Radio continuum observations offer a new window on compact objects in globular clusters compared to typical X-ray or optical studies. As part of the MAVERIC survey, we have used the Australia Telescope Compact Array to carry out a deep (median central noise level of approximately 4 microJy per beam) radio continuum survey of 26 southern globular clusters at central frequencies of 5.5 and 9.0 GHz. This paper presents a catalogue of 1285 radio continuum sources in the fields of these 26 clusters. Considering the surface density of background sources, we find significant evidence for a population of radio sources in seven of the 26 clusters, and also identify at least 11 previously known compact objects (6 pulsars and 5 X-ray binaries). While the overall density of radio continuum sources with 7.25-GHz flux densities greater than about 20 microJy in typical globular clusters is relatively low, the survey has already led to the discovery of several exciting compact binaries, including a candidate ultracompact black hole X-ray binary in 47 Tuc. Many of the unclassified radio sources near the centres of the clusters are likely to be true cluster sources, and multi-wavelength follow-up will be necessary to classify these objects and better understand the demographics of accreting compact binaries in globular clusters., 16 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The conditions under which accreting neutron stars launch radio-emitting jets and/or outflows are still poorly understood. The ultracompact X-ray binary X1850--087, located in the globular cluster NGC 6712, is a persistent atoll-type X-ray source that has previously shown unusual radio continuum variability. Here we present the results of a pilot radio monitoring program of X1850--087 undertaken with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, with simultaneous or quasi-simultaneous Swift/XRT data obtained at each epoch. The binary is clearly detected in the radio in two of the six new epochs. When combined with previous data, these results suggest that X1850--087 shows radio emission at a slightly elevated hard state X-ray luminosity of L_X > 2x10^36 erg/s, but no radio emission in its baseline hard state L_X ~10^36 erg/s. No clear X-ray spectral changes are associated with this factor of > 10 radio variability. At all detected epochs X1850--087 has a flat-to-inverted radio spectral index, more consistent with the partially absorbed optically thick synchrotron of a compact jet rather than the evolving optically thick to thin emission associated with transient expanding synchrotron-emitting ejecta. If the radio emission in X1850--087 is indeed due to a compact jet, then it is plausibly being launched and quenched in the hard state on timescales as short as a few days. Future radio monitoring of X1850--087 could help elucidate the conditions under which compact jets are produced around hard state accreting neutron stars., 9 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ

SMC X-1 is a high-mass X-ray binary showing superorbital modulation with an unstable period. Previous monitoring shows three excursion events in 1996--1998, 2005--2007, and 2014--2016. The superorbital period drifts from >60 days to, 7 pages, 3 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We report a peculiar variable blue star in the globular cluster NGC 6397, using Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging. Its position in the colour-magnitude diagrams, and its spectrum, are consistent with this star being a helium core white dwarf (He WD) in a binary system. The optical light curve shows a periodicity at 18.5 hours. We argue that this periodicity is due to the rotation of the WD and possibly due to magnetic spots on the surface of the WD. This would make this object the first candidate magnetic He WD in any globular cluster (GC), and the first candidate magnetic WD in a detached binary system in any GC and one of the few He WDs with a known rotation period and of magnetic nature. Another possibility is that this system is a He WD in a binary system with another WD or another degenerate object, which would make this object one of the few candidate non-accreting double degenerate binaries in any GC., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We investigate a sample of seven edge-on spiral galaxies using Chandra observations. Edge-on spiral galaxies allow us to clearly separate source associated with their star-forming regions versus the outer edges of the system; offering a clear advantage over other systems. We uncover a number of X-ray point sources across these galaxies, and after eliminating contaminating foreground and background sources, we identify 12 candidate ultraluminous X-ray sources. All of these sources are projected onto the central regions, implying that the majority of ULXs in this sample of spiral galaxies are disk/bulge, and thus not halo sources. This also includes two transient ULXs, which may be long-duration transients and low mass X-ray binaries. This finding illustrates the need for further studies of transient ULXs., accepted to MNRAS

Transitional millisecond pulsars are millisecond pulsars that switch between a rotation-powered millisecond pulsar state and an accretion-powered X-ray binary state, and are thought to be an evolutionary stage between neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries and millisecond pulsars. So far, only three confirmed systems have been identified in addition to a handful of candidates. We present the results of a multi-wavelength study of the low-mass X-ray binary NGC 6652B in the globular cluster NGC 6652, including simultaneous radio and X-ray observations taken by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and optical spectroscopy and photometry. This source is the second brightest X-ray source in NGC 6652 ($L_{\textrm{X}}\sim1.8\times10^{34}$ erg s$^{-1}$) and is known to be variable. We observe several X-ray flares over the duration of our X-ray observations, in addition to persistent radio emission and occasional radio flares. Simultaneous radio and X-ray data show no clear evidence of anti-correlated variability. Optical spectra of NGC 6652B indicate variable, broad H $\alpha$ emission which transitions from double-peaked emission to absorption over a time-scale of hours. We consider a variety of possible explanations for the source behaviour, and conclude that based on the radio and X-ray luminosities, short time-scale variability and X-ray flaring, and optical spectra, NGC 6652B is best explained as a transitional millisecond pulsar candidate that displays prolonged X-ray flaring behaviour. However, this could only be confirmed with observations of a change to the rotation-powered millisecond pulsar state., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We introduce the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) rapid-response mode by presenting the first successful trigger on the short-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) 181123B. Early-time radio observations of short GRBs may provide vital insights into the radio afterglow properties of Advanced LIGO- and Virgo-detected gravitational wave events, which will in turn inform follow-up strategies to search for counterparts within their large positional uncertainties. The ATCA was on target within 12.6 hr post-burst, when the source had risen above the horizon. While no radio afterglow was detected during the 8.3 hr observation, we obtained force-fitted flux densities of $7 \pm 12$ and $15 \pm 11~\mu$Jy at 5.5 and 9 GHz, respectively. Afterglow modelling of GRB 181123B showed that the addition of the ATCA force-fitted radio flux densities to the Swift X-ray Telescope detections provided more stringent constraints on the fraction of thermal energy in the electrons (log$\epsilon_e = -0.75^{+0.39}_{-0.40}$ rather than log$\epsilon_e = -1.13^{+0.82}_{-1.2}$ derived without the inclusion of the ATCA values), which is consistent with the range of typical $\epsilon_e$ derived from GRB afterglow modelling. This allowed us to predict that the forward shock may have peaked in the radio band $\sim10$ days post-burst, producing detectable radio emission $\gtrsim3-4$ days post-burst. Overall, we demonstrate the potential for extremely rapid radio follow-up of transients and the importance of triggered radio observations for constraining GRB blast wave properties, regardless of whether there is a detection, via the inclusion of force-fitted radio flux densities in afterglow modelling efforts., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Quiescent black hole X-ray binaries (X-ray luminosities 25 kpc, while initial optical astrometric measurements from Gaia Data Release 2 suggested likely distances of just a few kpc. Here, we use the most recent measurements from Gaia Early Data Release 3 and find a distance d=7.1(+4.8/-3.9) kpc and a potential kick velocity PKV=165(+81/-17) km/s, with distances up to ~20 kpc possible based on its parallax and proper motion. Even though there is now less tension between the parallax and donor-star based distance measurements, it remains an unresolved matter, and we conclude with suggestions on how to reconcile the two measurements., 13 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The Galactic globular cluster NGC 3201 is the first Galactic globular cluster observed to host dynamically-confirmed stellar-mass black holes, containing two confirmed and one candidate black hole. This result indicates that globular clusters can retain black holes, which has important implications for globular cluster evolution. NGC 3201 has been observed as part of the MAVERIC survey of Galactic globular clusters. We use these data to confirm that there is no radio or X-ray detection of the three black holes, and present the first radio and X-ray limits on these sources. These limits indicate that any accretion present is at an extremely low rate and may be extremely inefficient. In particular, for the system ACS ID #21859, by assuming the system is tidally locked and any accretion is through the capture of the companion's winds, we constrain the radiative efficiency of any accretion to $\leq1.5\times10^{-5}$. We also combine the radio and X-ray source catalogues from the MAVERIC survey with the existing MUSE spectroscopic surveys and the HUGS catalogue of NGC 3201 to provide a catalogue of 42 multiwavelength sources in this cluster. We identify a new red straggler source with X-ray emission, and investigate the multiwavelength properties of the sub-subgiant population in the cluster., Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We report the discovery of 1RXH J082623.6-505741, a 10.4 hr orbital period compact binary. Modeling extensive optical photometry and spectroscopy reveals a $\sim 0.4 M_{\odot}$ K-type secondary transferring mass through a low-state accretion disk to a non-magnetic $\sim 0.8 M_{\odot}$ white dwarf. The secondary is overluminous for its mass and dominates the optical spectra at all epochs, and must be evolved to fill its Roche Lobe at this orbital period. The X-ray luminosity $L_X \sim 1$-$2 \times 10^{32}$ erg s$^{-1}$ derived from both new XMM-Newton and archival observations, although high compared to most CVs, still only requires a modest accretion rate onto the white dwarf of $\dot{M} \sim 3 \times 10^{-11}$ to $3 \times 10^{-10} M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, lower than expected for a cataclysmic variable with an evolved secondary. No dwarf nova outbursts have yet been observed from the system, consistent with the low derived mass transfer rate. Several other cataclysmic variables with similar orbital periods also show unexpectedly low mass transfer rates, even though selection effects disfavor the discovery of binaries with these properties. This suggests the abundance and evolutionary state of long-period, low mass transfer rate cataclysmic variables is worthy of additional attention., Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, accepted to ApJ

Precise and accurate measurements of distances to Galactic X-ray binaries (XRBs) reduce uncertainties in the determination of XRB physical parameters. We have cross-matched the XRB catalogues of Liu et al. (2006, 2007) to the results of Gaia Data Release 2. We identify 86 X-ray binaries with a Gaia candidate counterpart, of which 32 are low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and 54 are high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). Distances to Gaia candidate counterparts are, on average, consistent with those measured by Hipparcos and radio parallaxes. When compared to distances measured by Gaia candidate counterparts, distances measured using Type I X-ray bursts are systematically larger, suggesting that these bursts reach only 50% of the Eddington limit. However, these results are strongly dependent on the prior assumptions used for estimating distance from the Gaia parallax measurements. Comparing positions of Gaia candidate counterparts for XRBs in our sample to positions of spiral arms in the Milky Way, we find that HMXBs exhibit mild preference for being closer to spiral arms; LMXBs exhibit mild preference for being closer to inter-arm regions. LMXBs do not exhibit any preference for leading or trailing their closest spiral arm. HMXBs exhibit a mild preference for trailing their closest spiral arm. The lack of a strong correlation between HMXBs and spiral arms may be explained by star formation occurring closer to the midpoint of the arms, or a time delay between star formation and HMXB formation manifesting as a spatial separation between HMXBs and the spiral arm where they formed., MNRAS in press; 16 pages, 8 figures. Supplementary online data in source file Liu_catalog_non_matches.txt

A number of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are physically associated with extragalactic globular clusters (GCs). We undertake a systematic X-ray analysis of eight of the brightest of these sources. We fit the spectra of the GC ULXs to single power law and single disk models. We find that the data never require that any of the sources change between a disk and a power law across successive observations. The GC ULXs best fit by a single disk show a bimodal distribution: they either have temperatures well below 0.5 keV, or variable temperatures ranging above 0.5 keV up to 2~keV. The GC ULXs with low kT have significant changes in luminosity but show little or no change in kT. By contrast, the sources with higher kT either change in both kT and $L_X$ together, or show no significant change in either parameter. Notably, the X-ray characteristics may be related to the optical properties of these ULXs, with the two lowest kT sources showing optical emission lines., Comment: Accepted to MNRAS. 15 pages, 10 figures, updated figures

Cygnus X-1 is a well-studied persistent black hole X-ray binary. Recently, the three parameters needed to estimate the black hole spin of this system, namely the black hole mass $M$, the orbital inclination $i$ and the source distance $D$, have been updated. In this work we redetermine the spin parameter using the continuum-fitting technique for those updated parameter values. Based on the assumption that the spin axis of the black hole is aligned with the orbital plane, we fit the thermal disk component to a fully relativistic thin accretion disk model. The error in the spin estimate arising from the combined observational uncertainties is obtained via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. We demonstrate that, without considering the counteracting torque effect, the new spin parameter is constrained to be a$_* > 0.9985$ (3$\sigma$), which confirms that the spin of the black hole in Cygnus X-1 is extreme., Comment: ApJ published

We have identified three ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) hosted by globular clusters (GCs) within NGC 1316's stellar system. These discoveries bring the total number of known ULXs in GCs up to 20. We find that the X-ray spectra of the three new sources do not deviate from the established pattern of spectral behaviour of the other known GC ULXs. The consistency of the X-ray spectral behaviour for these sources points to multiple paths of formation and evolution mechanisms for these rare and unique sources. Using the now larger sample of GC ULXs, we compare the optical properties of the entire known population of GC ULXs to other GCs across five galaxies and find that the properties of clusters that host ULXs are quite different from the typical clusters. Lastly, any trend of GC ULXs being preferentially hosted by metal-rich clusters is not strongly significant in this sample., Comment: accepted to MNRAS

The evolution of massive stars is influenced by the mass lost to stellar winds over their lifetimes. These winds limit the masses of the stellar remnants (such as black holes) that the stars ultimately produce. We use radio astrometry to refine the distance to the black hole X-ray binary Cygnus X-1, which we find to be $2.22^{+0.18}_{-0.17}$ kiloparsecs. When combined with previous optical data, this implies a black hole mass of $21.2\pm2.2$ solar masses, higher than previous measurements. The formation of such a high-mass black hole in a high-metallicity system constrains wind mass loss from massive stars., Published online in Science on 2021 February 18; Main (3 figures; 1 Table) + Supplementary (11 figures; 3 Tables)

We present a deep ($\sim 330~\mathrm{ks}$) {\it Chandra} survey of the Galactic globular cluster M30 (NGC 7099). Combining the new Cycle 18 with the previous Cycle 3 observations we report a total of 10 new X-ray point sources within the $1.03$ arcmin half-light radius, compiling an extended X-ray catalogue of a total of 23 sources. We incorporate imaging observations by the {\it Hubble Space Telescope} and the {\it Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array} from the MAVERIC survey to search for optical and radio counterparts to the new and old sources. Two X-ray sources are found to have a radio counterpart, including the known millisecond pulsar PSR J2140$-$2310A, the radio position of which also matches a previously reported faint optical counterpart which is slightly redder than the main sequence. We found optical counterparts to $18$ of the $23$ X-ray sources, identifying $2$ new cataclysmic variables (CVs), $5$ new CV candidates, $2$ new candidates of RS CVn type of active binary (AB), and $2$ new candidates of BY Dra type of AB. The remaining unclassified X-ray sources are likely background active galactic nuclei (AGN), as their number is consistent with the expected number of AGN at our X-ray sensitivity. Finally, our analysis of radial profiles of different source classes suggests that bright CVs are more centrally distributed than faint CVs in M30, consistent with other core-collapsed globular clusters., Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Using a 16.2 hr radio observation by the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and archival Chandra data, we found $>5\sigma$ radio counterparts to 4 known and 3 new X-ray sources within the half-light radius ($r_\mathrm{h}$) of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6397. The previously suggested millisecond pulsar (MSP) candidate, U18, is a steep-spectrum ($S_\nu \propto \nu^\alpha$; $\alpha=-2.0^{+0.4}_{-0.5}$) radio source with a 5.5 GHz flux density of $54.7\pm 4.3~\mathrm{\mu Jy}$. We argue that U18 is most likely a "hidden" MSP that is continuously hidden by plasma shocked at the collision between the winds from the pulsar and companion star. The nondetection of radio pulsations so far is probably the result of enhanced scattering in this shocked wind. On the other hand, we observed 5.5 GHz flux of the known MSP PSR J1740-5340 (U12) to decrease by a factor of $>2.8$ during epochs of 1.4 GHz eclipse, indicating that the radio flux is absorbed in its shocked wind. If U18 is indeed a pulsar whose pulsations are scattered, we note the contrast with U12's flux decrease in eclipse, which argues for two different eclipse mechanisms at the same radio frequency. In addition to U12 and U18, we also found radio associations for 5 other Chandra X-ray sources, four of which are likely background galaxies. The last, U97, which shows strong H$\alpha$ variability, is mysterious; it may be either a quiescent black hole low-mass X-ray binary, or something more unusual., Comment: Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 18 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables

With the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) we monitored the black hole candidate X-ray binary MAXI J1535--571 over seven epochs from 21 September to 2 October 2017. Using ASKAP observations, we studied the HI absorption spectrum from gas clouds along the line-of-sight and thereby constrained the distance to the source. The maximum negative radial velocities measured from the HI absorption spectra for MAXI J1535--571 and an extragalactic source in the same field of view are $-69\pm4$ km s$^{-1}$ and $-89\pm4$ km s$^{-1}$, respectively. This rules out the far kinematic distance ($9.3^{+0.5}_{-0.6}$ kpc), giving a most likely distance of $4.1^{+0.6}_{-0.5}$ kpc, with a strong upper limit of the tangent point at $6.7^{+0.1}_{-0.2}$ kpc. At our preferred distance, the peak unabsorbed luminosity of MAXI J1535--571 was $>78$ per cent of the Eddington luminosity, and shows that the soft-to-hard spectral state transition occurred at the very low luminosity of 1.2 -- 3.4 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$ times the Eddington luminosity. Finally, this study highlights the capabilities of new wide-field radio telescopes to probe Galactic transient outbursts, by allowing us to observe both a target source and a background comparison source in a single telescope pointing., Revised after favorable referee report from MNRAS Letters

Using the Very Long Baseline Array and the European Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network we have made a precise measurement of the radio parallax of the black hole X-ray binary MAXI\,J1820+070, providing a model-independent distance to the source. Our parallax measurement of ($0.348\pm0.033$) mas for MAXI J1820+070 translates to a distance of ($2.96\pm0.33$) kpc. This distance implies that the source reached ($15\pm3)\%$ of the Eddington luminosity at the peak of its outburst. Further, we use this distance to refine previous estimates of the jet inclination angle, jet velocity and the mass of the black hole in MAXI J1820+070 to be ($63\pm3)^{\circ}$, ($0.89\pm0.09)c$ and ($9.2\pm1.3) M_{\odot}$, respectively., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Published in MNRAS

We present an unprecedented, deep study of the primordial low-mass X-ray binary population in an isolated, lower-metallicity environment. We perform followup observations of previously-identified X-ray binary candidates in the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy by combining a second Chandra observation with Spitzer and Gemini photometry, as well as Gemini spectroscopy of selected targets. Of the original nine bright X-ray sources identified, we are able to classify all but one as quasars, active galactic nuclei, or background galaxies. We further discover four new X-ray sources in the second-epoch Chandra observation. Three of these new sources are background sources and one is a foreground flaring star. We have found that Sculptor is effectively devoid of X-ray sources above a few 1e34 erg/s. If Sculptor is able to retain primordial binaries at a similar rate to globular clusters, this implies that bright X-ray binaries observed in globular clusters in the present epoch are all formed dynamically., Comment: MNRAS in press; 19 pages, 12 figures

Recent observations of the high-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-1 have shown that both the companion star (41 solar masses) and the black hole (21 solar masses) are more massive than previously estimated. Furthermore, the black hole appears to be nearly maximally spinning. Here, we present a possible formation channel for the Cygnus X-1 system that matches the observed system properties. In this formation channel, we find that the orbital parameters of Cygnus X-1, combined with the observed metallicity of the companion, imply a significant reduction in mass loss through winds relative to commonly used prescriptions for stripped stars.

The MAVERIC survey is the first deep radio continuum imaging survey of Milky Way globular clusters, with a central goal of finding and classifying accreting compact binaries, including stellar-mass black holes. Here we present radio source catalogs for 25 clusters with ultra-deep Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array observations. The median observing time was 10 hr per cluster, resulting in typical rms sensitivities of 2.3 and 2.1 uJy per beam at central frequencies of 5.0 and 7.2 GHz, respectively. We detect nearly 1300 sources in our survey at 5 sigma, and while many of these are likely to be background sources, we also find strong evidence for an excess of radio sources in some clusters. The radio spectral index distribution of sources in the cluster cores differs from the background, and shows a bimodal distribution. We tentatively classify the steep-spectrum sources (those much brighter at 5.0 GHz) as millisecond pulsars and the flat-spectrum sources as compact or other kinds of binaries. These provisional classifications will be solidified with the future addition of X-ray and optical data. The outer regions of our images represent a deep, relatively wide field (~ 0.4/sq. deg) and high resolution C band background survey, and we present source counts calculated for this area. We also release radio continuum images for these 25 clusters to the community., published in ApJ. table 3 available as an ancillary CSV file. pending final hosting by the NRAO archive, the FITS images may be found at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a7a9qsqrepq5fmb/AABTtfMkftMSTUEFjzw6NU6Xa

We examine the internal properties of the most massive ultracompact dwarf galaxy (UCD), M59-UCD3, by combining adaptive optics assisted near-IR integral field spectroscopy from Gemini/NIFS, and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging. We use the multi-band HST imaging to create a mass model that suggests and accounts for the presence of multiple stellar populations and structural components. We combine these mass models with kinematics measurements from Gemini/NIFS to find a best-fit stellar mass-to-light ratio ($M/L$) and black hole (BH) mass using Jeans Anisotropic Models (JAM), axisymmetric Schwarzschild models, and triaxial Schwarzschild models. The best fit parameters in the JAM and axisymmetric Schwarzschild models have black holes between 2.5 and 5.9 million solar masses. The triaxial Schwarzschild models point toward a similar BH mass, but show a minimum $\chi^2$ at a BH mass of $\sim 0$. Models with a BH in all three techniques provide better fits to the central $V_{rms}$ profiles, and thus we estimate the BH mass to be $4.2^{+2.1}_{-1.7} \times 10^{6}$ M$_\odot$ (estimated 1$\sigma$ uncertainties). We also present deep radio imaging of M59-UCD3 and two other UCDs in Virgo with dynamical BH mass measurements, and compare these to X-ray measurements to check for consistency with the fundamental plane of BH accretion. We detect faint radio emission in M59cO, but find only upper limits for M60-UCD1 and M59-UCD3 despite X-ray detections in both these sources. The BH mass and nuclear light profile of M59-UCD3 suggests it is the tidally stripped remnant of a $\sim$10$^{9-10}$ M$_\odot$ galaxy., Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, 5 tables

We present the discovery and characterization of a radio-bright binary in the Galactic globular cluster M10. First identified in deep radio continuum data from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, M10-VLA1 has a flux density of $27\pm4$ $\mu$Jy at 7.4 GHz and a flat to inverted radio spectrum. Chandra imaging shows an X-ray source with $L_X \approx 10^{31}$ erg s$^{-1}$ matching the location of the radio source. This places M10-VLA1 within the scatter of the radio--X-ray luminosity correlation for quiescent stellar-mass black holes, and a black hole X-ray binary is a viable explanation for this system. The radio and X-ray properties of the source disfavor, though do not rule out, identification as an accreting neutron star or white dwarf system. Optical imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope and spectroscopy from the SOAR telescope show the system has an orbital period of 3.339 d and an unusual "red straggler" component: an evolved star found redward of M10's red giant branch. These data also show UV/optical variability and double-peaked H$\alpha$ emission characteristic of an accretion disk. However, SOAR spectroscopic monitoring reveals that the velocity semi-amplitude of the red straggler is low. We conclude that M10-VLA1 is most likely either a quiescent black hole X-ray binary with a rather face-on ($ i < $ 4$^{\circ}$) orientation or an unusual flaring RS CVn-type active binary, and discuss future observations that could distinguish between these possibilities., Comment: ApJ accepted, 13 pages, 8 figures

Monitoring the cooling of neutron-star crusts heated during accretion outbursts allows us to infer the physics of the dense matter present in the crust. We examine the crust cooling evolution of the low-mass X-ray binary MXB 1659-29 up to ~505 days after the end of its 2015 outburst (hereafter outburst II) and compare it with what we observed after its previous 1999 outburst (hereafter outburst I) using data obtained from the Swift, XMM-Newton, and Chandra observatories. The observed effective surface temperature of the neutron star in MXB 1659-29 dropped from ~92 eV to ~56 eV from ~12 days to ~505 days after the end of outburst II. The most recently performed observation after outburst II suggests that the crust is close to returning to thermal equilibrium with the core. We model the crust heating and cooling for both its outbursts collectively to understand the effect of parameters that may change for every outburst (e.g., the average accretion rate, the length of outburst, the envelope composition of the neutron star at the end of the outburst) and those which can be assumed to remain the same during these two outbursts (e.g., the neutron star mass, its radius). Our modelling indicates that all parameters were consistent between the two outbursts with no need for any significant changes. In particular, the strength and the depth of the shallow heating mechanism at work (in the crust) were inferred to be the same during both outbursts, contrary to what has been found when modelling the cooling curves after multiple outburst of another source, MAXI J0556-332. This difference in source behaviour is not understood. We discuss our results in the context of our current understanding of cooling of accretion-heated neutron-star crusts, and in particular with respect to the unexplained shallow heating mechanism., Comment: Submitted to A&A. The supplementary video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpJ053zq9-M

The Fermi $\gamma$-ray source 1FGL J1417.7--4407 (J1417) is a compact X-ray binary with a neutron star primary and a red giant companion in a $\sim$5.4 day orbit. This initial conclusion, based on optical and X-ray data, was confirmed when a 2.66 ms radio pulsar was found at the same location (and with the same orbital properties) as the optical/X-ray source. However, these initial studies found conflicting evidence about the accretion state and other properties of the binary. We present new optical, radio, and X-ray observations of J1417 that allow us to better understand this unusual system. We show that one of the main pieces of evidence previously put forward for an accretion disk---the complex morphology of the persistent H$\alpha$ emission line---can be better explained by the presence of a strong, magnetically driven stellar wind from the secondary and its interaction with the pulsar wind. The radio spectral index derived from VLA/ATCA observations is broadly consistent with that expected from a millisecond pulsar, further disfavoring an accretion disk scenario. X-ray observations show evidence for a double-peaked orbital light curve, similar to that observed in some redback millisecond pulsar binaries and likely due to an intrabinary shock. Refined optical light curve fitting gives a distance of 3.1$\pm$0.6 kpc, confirmed by a Gaia DR2 parallax measurement. At this distance the X-ray luminosity of J1417 is (1.0$^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$) $\times 10^{33}$ erg s$^{-1}$, which is more luminous than all known redback systems in the rotational-powered pulsar state, perhaps due to the wind from the giant companion. The unusual phenomenology of this system and its differing evolutionary path from redback millisecond pulsar binaries points to a new eclipsing pulsar "spider" subclass that is a possible progenitor of normal field millisecond pulsar binaries., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables, Accepted for publication in ApJ

We use K-band spectroscopy of the counterpart to the rapidly variable X-ray transient XMMU J174445.5−295044 to identify it as a new symbiotic X-ray binary. XMMU J174445.5−295044 has shown a hard X-ray spectrum (we verify its association with an INTEGRAL/Imager on-Board the INTEGRAL Satellite 18-40 keV detection in 2013 using a short Swift/X-Ray Telescope observation), high and varying NH, and rapid flares on time-scales down to minutes, suggesting wind accretion on to a compact star. We observed its near-infrared counterpart using the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph at Gemini-North, and classify the companion as ∼M2 III. We infer a distance of 3.1+1.8−1.1 kpc (conservative 1σ errors), and therefore calculate that the observed X-ray luminosity (2-10 keV) has reached to at least 4 × 1034 erg s−1. We therefore conclude that the source is a symbiotic X-ray binary containing a neutron star (or, less likely, black hole) accreting from the wind of a giant.

We improve the dynamical black hole (BH) mass estimates in three nearby low-mass early-type galaxies--NGC 205, NGC 5102, and NGC 5206. We use new \hst/STIS spectroscopy to fit the star formation histories of the nuclei in these galaxies, and use these measurements to create local color--mass-to-light ratio (\ml) relations. We then create new mass models from \hst~imaging and combined with adaptive optics kinematics, we use Jeans dynamical models to constrain their BH masses. The masses of the central BHs in NGC 5102 and NGC 5206 are both below one million solar masses and are consistent with our previous estimates, $9.12_{-1.53}^{+1.84}\times10^5$\Msun~and $6.31_{-2.74}^{+1.06}\times10^5$\Msun~(3$\sigma$ errors), respectively. However, for NGC 205, the improved models suggest the presence of a BH for the first time, with a best-fit mass of $6.8_{-6.7}^{+95.6}\times10^3$\Msun~(3$\sigma$ errors). This is the least massive central BH mass in a galaxy detected using any method. We discuss the possible systematic errors of this measurement in detail. Using this BH mass, the existing upper limits of both X-ray, and radio emissions in the nucleus of NGC 205 suggest an accretion rate $\lesssim$$10^{-5}$ of the Eddington rate. We also discuss the color--\mleff~relations in our nuclei and find that the slopes of these vary significantly between nuclei. Nuclei with significant young stellar populations have steeper color--\mleff~relations than some previously published galaxy color--\mleff~relations., Comment: 31 pages, 19 figures, 6 tables, Accepted to ApJ

We present the first optical spectroscopy of five confirmed (or strong candidate) redback millisecond pulsar binaries, obtaining complete radial velocity curves for each companion star. The properties of these millisecond pulsar binaries with low-mass, hydrogen-rich companions are discussed in the context of the 14 confirmed and 10 candidate field redbacks. We find that the neutron stars in redbacks have a median mass of 1.78 +/- 0.09 M_sun with a dispersion of sigma = 0.21 +/- 0.09. Neutron stars with masses in excess of 2 M_sun are consistent with, but not firmly demanded by, current observations. Redback companions have median masses of 0.36 +/- 0.04 M_sun with a scatter of sigma = 0.15 +/- 0.04, and a tail possibly extending up to 0.7-0.9 M_sun. Candidate redbacks tend to have higher companion masses than confirmed redbacks, suggesting a possible selection bias against the detection of radio pulsations in these more massive candidate systems. The distribution of companion masses between redbacks and the less massive black widows continues to be strongly bimodal, which is an important constraint on evolutionary models for these systems. Among redbacks, the median efficiency of converting the pulsar spindown energy to gamma-ray luminosity is ~10%., Apj in press. Long/large tables 6 and 7 also included as ancillary machine-readable files; numbering different from published version for ease of use

The observed relation between the X-ray and radio properties of low-luminosity accreting black holes has enabled the identification of multiple candidate black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs) in globular clusters. Here we report an identification of the radio source VLA J213002.08+120904 (aka M15 S2), recently reported in Kirsten et al. 2014, as a BHXB candidate. They showed that the parallax of this flat-spectrum variable radio source indicates a 2.2$^{+0.5}_{-0.3}$ kpc distance, which identifies it as lying in the foreground of the globular cluster M15. We determine the radio characteristics of this source, and place a deep limit on the X-ray luminosity of $\sim4\times10^{29}$ erg s$^{-1}$. Furthermore, we astrometrically identify a faint red stellar counterpart in archival Hubble images, with colors consistent with a foreground star; at 2.2 kpc its inferred mass is 0.1-0.2 $M_{\odot}$. We rule out that this object is a pulsar, neutron star X-ray binary, cataclysmic variable, or planetary nebula, concluding that VLA J213002.08+120904 is the first accreting black hole X-ray binary candidate discovered in quiescence outside a globular cluster. Given the relatively small area over which parallax studies of radio sources have been performed, this discovery suggests a much larger population of quiescent BHXBs in our Galaxy, $2.6\times10^4-1.7\times10^8$ BHXBs at $3\sigma$ confidence, than has been previously estimated ($\sim10^2-10^4$) through population synthesis., Comment: 13 pages, 6 Figures, Accepted to ApJ

We observed the globular cluster NGC 6652 with Chandra for 47.5 ks, detecting six known X-ray sources, as well as five previously undetected X-ray sources. Source A (XB 1832-330) is a well-known bright low-mass X-ray binary (LXMB). The second brightest source, B, has a spectrum that fits well to either a power-law model (Gamma ~ 1.3) or an absorbed hot gas emission model (kT ~ 34 keV). Its unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV luminosity (L_X = 1.6+-0.1*10^34 erg/s) is suggestive of a neutron star primary; however, Source B exhibits unusual variability for a LMXB, varying by over an order of magnitude on timescales of ~ 100 s. Source C's spectrum contains a strong low-energy component below 1 keV. Its spectrum is well fit to a simplified magnetic cataclysmic variable (CV) model, thus the soft component may be explained by a hot polar cap of a magnetic CV. Source D has an average L_X (0.5-10 keV) ~ 9*10^32 erg/s, and its spectrum is well fit to a neutron star atmosphere model. This is indicative of a quiescent neutron star LXMB, suggesting Source D may be the third known LMXB in NGC 6652. Source E has L_X (0.5-10 keV) ~ 3*10^32 erg/s, while Source F has L_X (0.5-10 keV) ~ 1*10^32 erg/s. Their relatively hard X-ray spectra are well-fit by power-law or plasma emission models. Five newly detected fainter sources have luminosities between 1-5*10^31 erg/s. NGC 6652 has an unusually flat X-ray luminosity function compared to other globular clusters, which may be connected to its extremely high central density., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures (1 color). ApJ, in press

The high stellar densities in the cores of globular clusters cause significant stellar interactions. These stellar interactions can produce close binary mass-transferring systems involving compact objects and their progeny, such as X-ray binaries and radio millisecond pulsars. Comparing the numbers of these systems and interaction rates in different clusters drives our understanding of how cluster parameters affect the production of close binaries. In this paper we estimate stellar encounter rates (Gamma) for 124 Galactic globular clusters based on observational data as opposed to the methods previously employed, which assumed "King-model" profiles for all clusters. By deprojecting cluster surface brightness profiles to estimate luminosity density profiles, we treat "King-model" and "core-collapsed" clusters in the same way. In addition, we use Monte-Carlo simulations to investigate the effects of uncertainties in various observational parameters (distance, reddening, surface brightness) on Gamma, producing the first catalog of GC stellar encounter rates with estimated errors. Comparing our results with published observations of likely products of stellar interactions (numbers of X-ray binaries, numbers of radio millisecond pulsars, and gamma-ray luminosity) we find both clear correlations and some differences with published results., Comment: 10 pages, ApJ in press. Two machine-readable tables, accessible via "Other formats". Rev. 2; renamed 2nd machine-readable table to Table 5, as in text

Swift J1357.2-0933 (J1357) is a peculiar black hole candidate X-ray transient discovered in outburst during 2011 (ATel #3138) and peaked at an X-ray luminosity of ~1e36 erg/s (for an assumed distance of 6 kpc).