4U 1907+09: An HMXB running away from the Galactic plane

Abstract

We report the discovery of a bow shock around the high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) 4U1907+09 using the Spitzer Space Telescope 24 μm data (after Vela X-1 the second example of bow shocks associated with HMXBs). The detection of the bow shock implies that 4U  1907+09 is moving through space with a high (supersonic) peculiar velocity. To confirm the runaway nature of 4U 1907+09, we measured its proper motion, which for an adopted distance to the system of 4 kpc corresponds to a peculiar transverse velocity of 160 ± 115 km s-1, meaning that 4U1907+09 is indeed a runaway system. This also supports the general belief that most HMXBs possess high space velocities. The direction of motion of 4U  1907+09 inferred from the proper motion measurement is consistent with the orientation of the symmetry axis of the bow shock, and shows that the HMXB is running away from the Galactic plane. We also present the Spitzer images of the bow shock around VelaX-1 (a system similar to 4U1907+09) and compare it with the bow shock generated by 4U1907+09. © 2011 ESO.