We present a mid-infrared (IR) sample study of nearby ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) using multiepoch observations with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Spitzer/IRAC observations taken after 2014 were obtained as part of the Spitzer Infrared Intensive Transients Survey. Our sample includes 96 ULXs located within 10 Mpc. Of the 96 ULXs, 12 have candidate counterparts consistent with absolute mid-IR magnitudes of supergiants, and 16 counterparts exceeded the mid-IR brightness of single supergiants and are thus more consistent with star clusters or non-ULX background active galactic nuclei. The supergiant candidate counterparts exhibit a bimodal color distribution in a Spitzer/IRAC color-magnitude diagram, where "red" and "'blue" ULXs fall in IRAC colors [3.6]-[4.5]~0.7 and [3.6]-[4.5]~0.0, respectively. The mid-IR colors and absolute magnitudes of four "red" and five "blue" ULXs are consistent with those of supergiant B[e] (sgB[e]) and red supergiant (RSG) stars, respectively. Although "blue," RSG-like mid-IR ULX counterparts likely host RSG mass donors; we propose that "red" counterparts are ULXs exhibiting the "B[e] phenomenon" rather than hosts of sgB[e] mass donors. We show that the mid-IR excess from the "red" ULXs is likely due to thermal emission from circumstellar or circumbinary dust. Using dust as a probe for total mass, we estimate mass-loss rates of dM/dt~1x10^-4^M_{sun}_/yr in dust-forming outflows of red ULXs. Based on the transient mid-IR behavior and its relatively flat spectral index, {alpha}=-0.19+/-0.1, we suggest that the mid-IR emission from Holmberg IX X-1 originates from a variable jet.
Ulysses Jupiter Encounter Cospin Anisotropy Telescope (AT) Flux Data
Collection
Short Name:
ulysses_cospin_a
Date:
25 Apr 2025 02:02:21
Publisher:
Planetary Data System
Description:
This collection contains data submitted to the Planetary Data System
(PDS) by the Ulysses COSPIN investigators, for the Ulysses Jupiter
Encounter, 1992-01-25 to 1992-02-17 (days 25-48 inclusive).
Ulysses Jupiter Encounter Cospin High Energy Telescope (HET) Flux Data
Collection
Short Name:
ulysses_cospin_h
Date:
25 Apr 2025 02:00:49
Publisher:
Planetary Data System
Description:
This file contains data submitted to the Planetary Data System (PDS)
by the Ulysses COSPIN investigators, for the Ulysses Jupiter
Encounter, 1992-01-25 to 1992-02-17 (days 25-48 inclusive). All data
on this volume are from the High Energy Telescope (HET) detector.
Ulysses Jupiter Encounter Cospin High Flux Telescope (HFT) Flux Data
Collection
Short Name:
ulysses_cospin_h
Date:
25 Apr 2025 02:08:17
Publisher:
Planetary Data System
Description:
This file contains data submitted to the Planetary Data System (PDS)
by the Ulysses COSPIN investigators, for the Ulysses Jupiter
Encounter, 1992-01-25 to 1992-02-18 (days 25-48 inclusive). All data
on this volume are from the High Flux Telescope (HFT) detector.
Ulysses Jupiter Encounter Cospin Kiel Electron Telescope (KET)
Intensity Data Collection
Short Name:
ULY-COSPIN-KET-I
Date:
04 Mar 2024 19:10:39
Publisher:
Planetary Data System
Description:
This file contains data submitted to the Planetary Data System (PDS)
by the Ulysses COSPIN investigators, for the Ulysses Jupiter
Encounter, 1992-01-24 to 1992-02-17 (days 25-48 inclusive). All data
on this volume are from the Kiel Electron Telescope (KET) detector.
Ulysses Jupiter Encounter Cospin Kiel Electron Telescope (KET) Raw
Data Collection
Short Name:
ulysses_cospin_k
Date:
25 Apr 2025 02:06:52
Publisher:
Planetary Data System
Description:
This file contains data submitted to the Planetary Data System (PDS)
by the Ulysses COSPIN investigators, for the Ulysses Jupiter
Encounter, 1992-01-24 to 1992-02-17 (days 25-48 inclusive). All data
on this volume are from the Kiel Electron Telescope (KET) detector.
Ulysses Jupiter Encounter Cospin Low Energy Telescope (LET) Flux Data
Collection
Short Name:
ulysses_cospin_l
Date:
25 Apr 2025 02:05:16
Publisher:
Planetary Data System
Description:
This file contains data submitted to the Planetary Data System (PDS)
by the Ulysses COSPIN investigators, for the Ulysses Jupiter
Encounter, 1992-01-25 to 1992-02-17 (days 25-48 inclusive). All data
on this volume are from the Low Energy Telescope (LET) detector.
We present interplanetary network localization information for 218 gamma-ray bursts in the third BATSE catalog obtained by analyzing the arrival times of these bursts with the Ulysses and Compton Gamma Ray Observatory spacecraft. For any given burst observed by these two spacecraft, arrival time analysis (or "triangulation") results in an annulus of possible arrival directions whose half-width varies between 7'' and 32', depending on the intensity and time history of the burst and the distance of the Ulysses spacecraft from Earth. This annulus generally intersects the BATSE error circle, which results in an average reduction of a factor of 30 of the error box area.
The Ursa Major Group (UMaG) is studied as a test case for the authenticity of Stellar Kinematic Groups, using Coravel radial velocities, recent compilations of astrometric data and new spectroscopic observations. Spectroscopic age indicators, particularly indices of the strength of chromospheric emission, are applied to solar-type candidate members of UMaG, and it is shown that stars that meet the spectroscopic criteria also have kinematics that agree better with the space motions of the nucleus of UMaG than does the starting sample as a whole. The primary limitation on the precision of kinematics is now parallaxes instead of radial velocities. These more restrictive kinematic criteria are then applied to other UMaG candidates and a list summarizing membership is presented. UMaG is also examined as a cluster, confirming its traditional age of 0.3 Gyr and a mean [Fe/H] of -0.08 +/- 0.09 for those stars most likely to be bona fide members.
Deep observations of the Chandra Deep Field South have been secured at 15um with AKARI/IRC infrared space telescope. From these observations, we define a sample of mid infrared-selected galaxies at 15um and we also obtain 15um flux densities for a sample of Lyman Break Galaxies at z~1 already observed at 24um with Spitzer/MIPS.
