Canvassing the X-Ray Content of the Inner Galactic Plane

Abstract

The Swift/X-Ray Telescope Deep Galactic Plane Survey (DGPS) is an ongoing 1.83 Ms effort to establish the transient population in the inner Scutum and Norma arms of the Milky Way (10 deg.<|l|<30 deg.,|b|<0.5 deg.) in the 0.3−10.0 keV range. Our goal is to find and classify new sources, such as magnetars, X-ray binaries, and other transients. Here I describe the part of the DGPS which I have performed (20deg.<|l|<30 deg.). I developed the infrastructure to analyze the data and showcase results; discovered 111 new, transient, and unclassified sources (>3 sigma above background); and created three catalogs in the 0.3−3 keV, 2−10 keV, and 0.3−10 keV bands. I have published a multiwavelength analysis for the data for two bright DGPS sources, one Type I X-ray burster and one Intermediate Polar Cataclysmic Variable. Finally, I summarize future prospects for DGPS−related research.