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On the Detectability of CO Molecules in the Interstellar Medium via X-Ray SpectroscopyWe present a study of the detectability of CO molecules in the Galactic interstellar medium using high-resolution X-ray spectra obtained with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer. We analysed 10 bright low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) to study the CO contribution in their line of sights. A total of 25 observations were fitted with the ISMabs X-ray absorption model which includes photoabsorption cross-sections for Oi, Oii, Oiii and CO. We performed a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation analysis of the goodness of fit in order to estimate the significance of the CO detection. We determine that the statistical analysis prevents a significant detection of CO molecular X-ray absorption features, except for the lines of sight towards XTE J1718-330 and 4U 1636-53. In the case of XTE J1817-330, this is the first report of the presence of CO along its line of sight. Our results reinforce the conclusion that molecules have a minor contribution to the absorption features in the O K-edge spectral region. We estimate a CO column density lower limit to perform a significant detection with XMM-Newton of N(CO) greater than 6 x 10(exp 16) per sq cm for typical exposure times.
Document ID
20170003452
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Joachimi, Katerine
(Universidad Central de Venezuela Caracus, Venezuela)
Gatuzz, Efrain
(Universidad Central de Venezuela Caracus, Venezuela)
Garcia, Javier
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Cambridge, MA, United States)
Kallman, Timothy R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
April 14, 2017
Publication Date
June 9, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Volume: 461
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0035-8711
e-ISSN: 1365-2966
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41186
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
ISM: structure
techniques: spectroscopic
X-rays: ISM
ISM: molecules

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