Castor A and Castor B resolved in a simultaneous Chandra and XMM-Newton observation

Abstract

We present a simultaneous Chandra and XMM-Newton observation of the Castor sextett, focusing on Castor A and Castor B, two spectroscopic binaries with early-type primaries. Of the present day X-ray instruments only Chandra can isolate the X-ray lightcurves and spectra of A and B. We compare the Chandra observation with XMM-Newton data obtained simultaneously. Albeit not able to resolve Castor A and Castor B from each other, the higher sensitivity of XMM-Newton allows for a quantitative analysis of their combined high-resolution spectrum. He-like line triplets are used to examine the temperature and the density in the corona of Castor AB. The temporal variability of Castor AB is studied using data collected with the European Photon Imaging Camera onboard XMM-Newton. Strong flare activity is observed, and combining the data acquired simultaneously with Chandra and XMM-Newton each flare can be assigned to its host. Our comparison with the conditions of the coronal plasma of other stars shows that Castor AB behave like typical late-type coronal X-ray emitters supporting the common notion that the late-type secondaries within each spectroscopic binary are the sites of the X-ray production.