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Name:Robin Corbet


Institution:UMBC/NASA GSFC


Country:USA




Title:Hunting for New Gamma-ray Binaries




Abstract:Discovery of the New Gamma-ray Binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856
R.H.D. Corbet, on behalf of the LAT collaboration, M.J. Coe, P.G. Edwards, M.D. Filipovic, J.L. Payne, J. Stevens, M.A.P. Torres

We present the discovery of a new gamma-ray binary system from the search for periodic modulation in the Fermi LAT light curves of all sources in the first Fermi-LAT catalog. 1FGL J1018.6-5856 was 
found to have a 16.6 day modulation in its gamma-ray flux that is accompanied by spectral variability. We identify counterparts in the X-ray, radio, and optical wavebands using data from the Swift 
XRT, ATCA, and telescopes at SAAO and LCO. The X-ray and radio counterparts are highly variable: the X-ray flux appears to be modulated on the orbital period with maximum X-ray flux coinciding with 
the phase of maximum gamma-ray flux. The optical counterpart has a spectral type of approximately O6V((f)) and shows little variability in a series of Swift UVOT observations. The overall properties 
of 1FGL J1018.6-5856 indicate that it is a member of the rare gamma-ray binary class of objects, and that it shares several properties with LS 5039. However, there are some differences from LS 5039, 
including the relative phasing of the gamma-ray flux and spectral modulation and the shape of the X-ray light curve. The similarities and differences will allow us to develop our understanding of the 
astrophysics involved in these enigmatic objects.








            

            
            

              

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