X-ray emission from the nucleus of the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 3226

We present the first high-resolution X-ray image of the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 3226. The data were obtained during an observation of the nearby Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3227 using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. We detect a point X-ray source spatially consistent with the optical nucleus of NGC 3226 and a recently detected, compact, flat-spectrum radio source. The X-ray spectrum can be measured up to ∼10 keV and is consistent with a power law with a photon index 1.7 ≲ Γ ≲; 2.2 or thermal bremsstrahlung emission with 4 keV ≲ kT ≲ 10 keV. In both cases, the luminosity in the 2-10 keV band ≃10⁴⁰ h^-1₇₅ ergs s^-1. We find marginal evidence that the nucleus varies within the observation. These characteristics support evidence from other wave bands that NGC 3226 harbors a low-luminosity active nucleus. We also comment on two previously unknown, fainter X-ray sources ≲15″ from the nucleus of NGC 3226. Their proximity to the nucleus (with projected distances of ≲1.3 h^-1₇₅ kpc) suggests both are within NGC 3226 and thus have luminosities (approximately a few times 10³⁸ to a few times 10³⁹ ergs s^-1) consistent with black hole binary systems.