Possible Periodic Dips in the Pulsating Ultraluminous X-Ray Source M51 ULX-7

Abstract

We report the discovery of possible periodic X-ray dips in a pulsating ultraluminous X-ray source, M51 ULX-7, with archival Chandra observations. With ∼20 days of monitoring in the superorbital descending state, we discovered three dips with separations of ∼2 and ∼8 days via the Bayesian block technique. A phase-dispersion minimization and a ${\chi }^{2}$ test suggest that the dip is likely recurrent with a period of ∼2 days, consistent with the orbital period of M51 ULX-7. We interpret the dip as an obscuring of the emission from the pulsar by the vertical structure on the stream-disk interaction region or the atmosphere of the companion star. Both interpretations suggest the viewing angle to be ∼60°. Given that the magnetic field of M51 ULX-7 is moderately high, B ∼ 10¹³ G, a low geometric beaming with $b\gtrsim 1/2$ is sufficient to explain the observed flux and the presence of dips. Obscuration of the stellar wind remains an alternative possible origin and further monitoring of the dips will be required.