LMC X-4

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LMC X-4
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Observation data
Epoch J2000.0       Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Dorado
Right ascension 05h 32m 49.56s [1]
Declination −66° 22′ 13.2″ [1]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Blue supergiant + Pulsar
Spectral type O8III [1]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)284 [1] km/s
Proper motion (μ)RA: 1.757 [1] mas/yr
Dec.: 0.407 [1] mas/yr
Distance 163,000  ly
Orbit [2]
PrimarySupergiant star
CompanionA
Period (P)1.40830 ± 0.0005 days
Details [2]
A
Mass 25  M☉
B
Mass 1.4  M☉
Other designations
LMC X-4, 2MASS J05324953-6622132, SWIFT J0532.5-6623A, TIC 276861105, Gaia DR3 4660300345280168192 [1]
Database references
SIMBAD data

LMC X-4 is an eclipsing high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) pulsar system located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way approximately 163,000 light-years away. Discovered in 1972 by the Uhuru X-ray observatory, it consists of a neutron star and a massive companion star, exhibiting periodic X-ray eclipses and long-term intensity variations. [3] [4]

Contents

Charecterstics

Components

LMC X-4 comprises a neutron star with a spin period of 13.5 seconds and an estimated mass of approximately 1.4 solar masses, though earlier studies suggested a range of 2–4 solar masses. The companion is an O7 III-V (or O8 III) star with a mass of about 25 solar masses, nearly filling its Roche lobe, and a visual magnitude of ~14.0. The system's high X-ray luminosity is likely powered by a combination of stellar wind accretion and possible Roche-lobe overflow. [2] [5] [6]

Orbital Parameters

The binary system has an orbital period of 1.40830 ± 0.0005 days and exhibits a super-orbital period of approximately 30.5 days, attributed to accretion disc precession. Long-term observations indicate orbital decay with a period derivative on a timescale of ~0.8 million years and evidence of a second derivative on a 55-year timescale, derived from data spanning over 4,600 orbits. [7] [8] [9]

X-ray Emission

The X-ray emission of LMC X-4 is characterized by a power-law spectrum with a photon index of 0.7–1.0, a high-energy cutoff, and an iron emission line. The iron line's equivalent width varies significantly during low-intensity states but remains stable in high states, showing similarities to the HMXB Her X-1, though without the variable absorption column density. The system displays X-ray flares and quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) at frequencies around 74 mHz and 20–30 mHz, detected by XMM-Newton. Periodic X-ray eclipses have been instrumental in refining orbital parameters. [10] [11] [12]

Evolution

Recent simulations suggest that LMC X-4 may evolve into a Thorne–Żytkow object, a theoretical star with a neutron star core enveloped by a massive stellar companion, potentially linked to ultra-long gamma-ray bursts. Its study provides insights into accretion processes, orbital dynamics, and the evolution of massive binary systems. [13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "LMC X-4". SIMBAD. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Hutchings, J. B.; Crampton, D.; Cowley, A. P. (October 1978). "Spectroscopic observations and orbit of LMC X-4". The Astrophysical Journal. 225: 548–556. Bibcode:1978ApJ...225..548H. doi:10.1086/156515. ISSN   0004-637X.
  3. ↑ "A comprehensive study of orbital evolution of LMC X–4: Existence of a second derivative of the orbital period". arxiv.org. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  4. ↑ Kelley, R. L.; Jernigan, J. G.; Levine, A.; Petro, L. D.; Rappaport, S. (1983-01-15). "Discovery of 13.5 s X-ray pulsations from LMC X-4 and an orbital determination". Astrophysical Journal. 264: 568. Bibcode:1983ApJ...264..568K. doi:10.1086/160626.
  5. ↑ Levine, A.; Rappaport, S.; Putney, A.; Corbet, R.; Nagase, F. (November 1991). "LMC X-4: GINGA Observations and Search for Orbital Period Changes". The Astrophysical Journal. 381: 101. Bibcode:1991ApJ...381..101L. doi:10.1086/170632. ISSN   0004-637X.
  6. ↑ Boroson, Bram; Kallman, Timothy; Blondin, John M.; Owen, Michael P. (April 2001). "Testing Hydrodynamic Models of LMC X-4 with Ultraviolet and X-Ray Spectra". The Astrophysical Journal. 550 (2): 919–930. arXiv: astro-ph/0012494 . Bibcode:2001ApJ...550..919B. doi:10.1086/319773. ISSN   0004-637X.
  7. ↑ Naik, S.; Paul, B. (2003-04-01). "Spectral variations of the X-ray binary pulsar LMC X-4 during its long period intensity variation and a comparison with Her X-1". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 401 (1): 265–270. arXiv: astro-ph/0301208 . Bibcode:2003A&A...401..265N. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030111. ISSN   0004-6361.
  8. ↑ Ambrosi, E; D'Aì, A; Del Santo, M; Segreto, A; Ferrigno, C; Amato, R; Cusumano, G (2022-04-04). "Disc precession to explain the superorbital modulation of LMC X-4: results from the Swift monitoring campaign". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 512 (3): 3422–3435. arXiv: 2202.07703 . doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac450 . ISSN   0035-8711.
  9. ↑ Jain, Chetana; Sharma, Rahul; Paul, Biswajit (2024-03-14), "A comprehensive study of orbital evolution of LMC X-4: Existence of a second derivative of the orbital period", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 529 (4): 4056, arXiv: 2403.09595 , Bibcode:2024MNRAS.529.4056J, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae784 , retrieved 2025-10-13
  10. ↑ Jain, Chetana; Sharma, Rahul; Paul, Biswajit (2024-03-14), "A comprehensive study of orbital evolution of LMC X-4: Existence of a second derivative of the orbital period", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 529 (4): 4056, arXiv: 2403.09595 , Bibcode:2024MNRAS.529.4056J, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae784 , retrieved 2025-10-13
  11. ↑ Naik, S.; Paul, B. (2003-04-01). "Spectral variations of the X-ray binary pulsar LMC X-4 during its long period intensity variation and a comparison with Her X-1". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 401 (1): 265–270. arXiv: astro-ph/0301208 . Bibcode:2003A&A...401..265N. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030111. ISSN   0004-6361.
  12. ↑ Nowakowski, Tomasz; Phys.org. "Quasi-periodic oscillations detected in pulsar LMC X-4". phys.org. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  13. ↑ Hutchinson-Smith, Tenley; Everson, Rosa Wallace; Twum, Angela A.; Batta, Aldo; Yarza, Ricardo; Law-Smith, Jamie A. P.; Vigna-Gómez, Alejandro; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico (2024-12-01). "Rethinking Thorne–Żytkow Object Formation: The Fate of X-Ray Binary LMC X-4 and Implications for Ultra-long Gamma-Ray Bursts". The Astrophysical Journal. 977 (2): 196. arXiv: 2311.06741 . Bibcode:2024ApJ...977..196H. doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad88f3 . ISSN   0004-637X.
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