A catalogue of low-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy, LMC, and SMC (Fourth edition) ^*

¹ Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China e-mail: qzliu@pmo.ac.cn
² Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 403, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Received: 15 February 2007
Accepted: 29 March 2007

Abstract

We present a new edition of the catalogue of the low-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. The catalogue contains source name(s), coordinates, finding chart, X-ray luminosity, system parameters, and stellar parameters of the components and other characteristic properties of 187 low-mass X-ray binaries, together with a comprehensive selection of the relevant literature. The aim of this catalogue is to provide the reader with some basic information on the X-ray sources and their counterparts in other wavelength ranges (γ-rays, UV, optical, IR, and radio). Some sources, however, are only tentatively identified as low-mass X-ray binaries on the basis of their X-ray properties similar to the known low-mass X-ray binaries. Further identification in other wavelength bands is needed to finally determine the nature of these sources. In cases where there is some doubt about the low-mass nature of the X-ray binary this is mentioned. Literature published before 1 October 2006 has, as far as possible, been taken into account.