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Description
The central field of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) was monitored from 2006 to 2012 using the Chandra HRC-I detector (about 0.1-10keV energy range) with the main aim of detecting X-rays from optical novae. We present a systematic analysis of all X-ray sources found in the 41 nova monitoring observations, along with 23 M31 central field HRC-I observations available from the Chandra data archive starting in December 1999. Based on these observations, we studied the X-ray long-term variability of the source population and especially of X-ray binaries in M31. We created a catalogue of sources detected in the 64 available observations that adds up to a total exposure time of about 1Ms. To study the variability, we developed a processing pipeline to derive long-term Chandra HRC-I light curves for each source over the 13 years of observations. We also searched for extended X-ray sources in the merged images. We present a point-source catalogue containing 318 X-ray sources with detailed long-term variability information, 28 of which are published for the first time. The spatial and temporal resolution of the catalogue allows us to classify 115 X-ray binary candidates showing high X-ray variability or even outbursts, as well as 14 globular cluster X-ray binary candidates showing no significant variability. The analysis may suggest that outburst sources are less frequent in globular clusters than in the field of M31. We detected seven supernova remnants, one of which is a new candidate, and also resolved the first X-rays from a known radio supernova remnant. In addition to 33 known optical nova/X-ray source correlations, we discovered one previously unknown super-soft X-ray outburst and several new nova candidates. The catalogue contains a large sample of detailed long-term X-ray light curves in the M31 central field, which helps in understanding the X-ray population of our neighbouring spiral galaxy M31.
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