Multiwavelength study of the transient X-ray binary IGR J01583+6713

We have investigated multiband optical photometric variability and stability of the H alpha line profile of the transient X-ray binary IGR J01583+6713. We set an upper limit of 0.05 mag on photometric variations in the V band over a time-scale of three months. The H alpha line is found to consist of non-Gaussian profile and quite stable for a duration of two months. We have identified the spectral type of the companion star to be B2 IVe while the distance to the source is estimated to be similar to 4.0 kpc. Along with the optical observations, we have also carried out analysis of X-ray data from three short observations of the source, two with the Swift-XRT and one with the RXTE-PCA. We have detected a variation in the absorption column density, from a value of 22.0 x 10(22) cm(-2) immediately after the outburst down to 2.6 x 10(22) cm(-2) four months afterwards. In the quiescent state, the X-ray absorption is consistent with the optical reddening measurement of E(B - V) = 1.46 mag. From one of the Swift observations, during which the X-ray intensity was higher, we have a possible pulse detection with a period of 469.2 s. For a Be X-ray binary, this indicates an orbital period in the range of 216-561 d for this binary system.