Faint Early - Type Galaxy Ngc 4697

We analyze archival ROSAT HRI, ROSAT PSPC, and ASCA data of the X-ray faint early-type galaxy NGC 4697. The joint ROSAT PSPC + ASCA spectrum is fit by a two-component thermal model, a MEKAL model with kTMEKAL = 0.26 +0.04 −0.03 keV with low metallicity and a bremsstrahlung model with kTBREM = 5.2 +3.0 −1.6 keV. A similar model was found to fit the spectra of another faint early-type galaxy (NGC 4382) and the bulge of M31. We interpret this soft emission as a combination of emission from a soft component of low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and from a low temperature interstellar medium, although the relative contributions of the two components could not be determined. Twelve point sources were identified within 4 of NGC 4697, of which 11 are most likely LMXBs associated with the galaxy. The soft X-ray colors of four of the LMXBs in NGC 4697 support the claim that LMXBs possess a soft spectral component. Finally, we present a simulation of what we believe the Chandra data of NGC 4697