Determining a Relation between X-ray Luminosity and Orbital Period of X-ray Binaries

The goal of this project was to examine the relationship between the average x-ray luminosity and the orbital period of x-ray binaries. Using the data gathered by the All-Sky Monitor instrument aboard the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, 29 sources were selected for investigation based on the intensity of the x-rays emitted from each of the sources. A literature search was then performed to gather further details on each of the sources, including orbital period, distance, hydrogen column density, and classification of each source as either low- or high-mass x-ray binaries with either neutron star or black hole companions. Sufficient data for 22 of the sources was known in order to create plots of the average luminosity versus the period, which allowed for the period-luminosity relationships for x-ray binaries to be further examined.