Bengaluru, Mar 30 (TNT) : Astronomers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI) have identified a possible mechanism behind irregular flares from an ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), attributing the phenomenon to a wobbling accretion disk.
The findings, based on observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton spanning 2001 to 2021, focus on a source known as M74 X-1 in a spiral galaxy.
Researchers said the source exhibits repeated bursts of X-ray emission, with brightness fluctuating significantly over short intervals, though not in a fixed pattern.
Analysis showed the presence of strong winds in the system during flaring phases, while non-flaring phases indicated a direct view of the inner accretion region, suggesting varying viewing angles.
The study proposes that the accretion disk around the compact object wobbles like a spinning top, causing the wind to intermittently obscure the source and leading to irregular flaring.
Using updated models, the team estimated the mass of the compact object to be about seven times that of the Sun, placing it in the category of a stellar-mass black hole, though the possibility of a neutron star remains.
Researchers said further observations, including the search for pulsations, are needed to determine the exact nature of the compact object.
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