A Study of the New X-ray Transient RXTE J2123-058 during its Post-Outburst State

Abstract

We carried out I, R, V and B photometric observations of the neutron star X-ray binary RXTE J2123-058 shortly after the end of the X-ray outburst in mid-1998. We adopt the low mass binary model to interpret our observations. After folding our data on the 0.24821-d orbital period, and correcting for the steady brightness decline following the outburst, we observe sinusoidal oscillations with hints of ellipsoidal modulations which became progressively more evident. Our data also show that the decline in brightness was faster in the V band than in the R and I bands. This suggests both the cooling of an irradiation-heated secondary star and the fading of an accretion disc over the nights of our observations.