Spectral and temporal properties of X-ray emission from the ultra-luminous source X-9 in M81

We have analysed the spectra and the variability of individual X-ray sources in the M-81 field using data from the available ROSAT-PSPC and ROSAT-HRI observations of this nearby spiral galaxy. Here we present the results on the second brightest source in the field (X-9 - Fabbiano, 1988 ApJ 325 544), whose identification and interpretation is still unclear. Our work includes the study of the shape of X-9 from HRI data, the light curve and hardness ratio evolution, and the spectral analysis.