Multiwavelength Characterization of High Mass X-ray Binaries in Local Group Galaxies
Margaret Lazzarini (California State University, Los Angeles)

Multiwavelength observations of populations of evolved massive stellar binaries are crucial for understanding the complex process of massive binary stellar evolution. High mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) are evolved massive stellar binaries in which the primary star has become a compact object and accretes from a massive secondary star. In this talk I will discuss ongoing work to characterize the population of HMXBs in massive spiral and low mass, dwarf galaxies in the Local Group. Combining deep optical and X-ray observations allows us to characterize each galaxy’s HMXB population including measuring X-ray luminosities, physical properties of the secondary stars, and the HMXB age distribution and production rate for each galaxy. These measured population demographics can be used to constrain theoretical binary stellar evolution models.

Please join us for the SED Director’s Seminar. Hosted by the Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Code 667!