scholarly journals Detection of Nonthermal Optical Flashes with 10−3-10−1 s Duration from Some LMXBs

1995 ◽  
Vol 151 ◽  
pp. 330-333
Author(s):  
G.M. Beskin ◽  
S.I. Neizvestny ◽  
S.N. Mitronova ◽  
V.L. Plokhotnichenko ◽  
M. Yu. Popova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Compact Objects ◽  
Registration System ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Multichannel Analysis ◽  
Astrophysical Objects ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Nonthermal Radio Emission ◽  
Optical Flashes

In order to study very rapid optical variability of astrophysical objects on time scales between 10−7 s and 102 s (Shvartsman 1977), at SAO the MANIA (Multichannel Analysis of Nanosecond Intensity Alterations) experiment is being used. A special photometric registration system and software has been developed (Beskin et al. 1982’ Plokhotnichenko 1983, Zhuravkov et al. 1994).One of the applications of these tools is the detection of radiation from accreted or ejected plasma near compact objects. A choice between two models of accretion onto compact objects in binary systems - hydrodynamic flow or magnetc flaring (Shakura & Sunyaev 1973, Pustil’nik & Shvartsman 1974) has not yet been made. Recent optical and X-ray observations of X-ray binaries provide information on their (fast) variability, their nonthermal radio emission, generation of very high energy particles, and nonthermal processes in rapid optical flares (Bartolini et al. 1994, Beskin et al. 1994). However, the data are not fully described by classical hydrodynamical models.

scholarly journals Observation of the Gamma-Ray Binary HESS J0632+057 with the H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS Telescopes

2021 ◽  
Vol 923 (2) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
C. B. Adams ◽  
W. Benbow ◽  
A. Brill ◽  
J. H. Buckley ◽  
M. Capasso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Energy Bands ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cherenkov Telescopes ◽  
Orbital Cycles ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Energy Gamma ◽  
Very High

Abstract The results of gamma-ray observations of the binary system HESS J0632 + 057 collected during 450 hr over 15 yr, between 2004 and 2019, are presented. Data taken with the atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS at energies above 350 GeV were used together with observations at X-ray energies obtained with Swift-XRT, Chandra, XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and Suzaku. Some of these observations were accompanied by measurements of the Hα emission line. A significant detection of the modulation of the very high-energy gamma-ray fluxes with a period of 316.7 ± 4.4 days is reported, consistent with the period of 317.3 ± 0.7 days obtained with a refined analysis of X-ray data. The analysis of data from four orbital cycles with dense observational coverage reveals short-timescale variability, with flux-decay timescales of less than 20 days at very high energies. Flux variations observed over a timescale of several years indicate orbit-to-orbit variability. The analysis confirms the previously reported correlation of X-ray and gamma-ray emission from the system at very high significance, but cannot find any correlation of optical Hα parameters with fluxes at X-ray or gamma-ray energies in simultaneous observations. The key finding is that the emission of HESS J0632 + 057 in the X-ray and gamma-ray energy bands is highly variable on different timescales. The ratio of gamma-ray to X-ray flux shows the equality or even dominance of the gamma-ray energy range. This wealth of new data is interpreted taking into account the insufficient knowledge of the ephemeris of the system, and discussed in the context of results reported on other gamma-ray binary systems.

scholarly journals VHE GAMMA-RAYS FROM GALACTIC X-RAY BINARY SYSTEMS

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1849-1858 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. PAREDES
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Rays ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Γ Rays ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Tev Gamma Rays ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Very High

The detection of TeV gamma-rays from LS 5039 and the binary pulsar PSR B1259–63 by HESS, and from LS I +61 303 and the stellar-mass black hole Cygnus X-1 by MAGIC, provides clear evidence of very efficient acceleration of particles to multi-TeV energies in X-ray binaries. These observations demonstrate the richness of nonthermal phenomena in compact galactic objects containing relativistic outflows or winds produced near black holes and neutron stars. I review here some of the main observational results on very high energy (VHE) γ-ray emission from X-ray binaries, as well as some of the proposed scenarios to explain the production of VHE γ-rays. I put special emphasis on the flare TeV emission, suggesting that the flaring activity might be a common phenomena in X-ray binaries.

The XMM-NEWTON VIEW ON NEUTRON STARS AND BLACK HOLES

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (07) ◽  
pp. 1229-1237
Author(s):  
CHRISTIAN MOTCH
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
Spectral Analysis ◽  
Neutron Stars ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Short Review ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Compact Objects ◽  
High Energy Resolution ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Physical Conditions

The improved sensitivity of the XMM-Newton satellite is quickly expanding our knowledge of X-ray emission mechanisms and physical conditions in and around compact objects. Thanks to the large collecting power and high energy resolution of the EPIC and RGS instruments, detailed X-ray spectral analysis can be performed in the 0.2 to 12 keV energy range. In this short review, I highlight the most significant results obtained by XMM-Newton on neutron stars both isolated and in binary systems and on accreting stellar mass black holes.

MAGIC RESULTS ON BINARY SYSTEMS

2012 ◽  
Vol 08 ◽  
pp. 67-72
Author(s):  
◽  
ROBERTA ZANIN ◽  
OSCAR BLANCH ◽  
JUAN CORTINA ◽  
TOBIAS JOGLER ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Upper Limits ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Spectral States ◽  
Significant Effort

Three X-ray binary systems have been unambiguously detected at TeV energies: LS 5039, LS I +61° +303, PSR B1259-63. Additionally, the TeV source HESS J0632+057 has been found to be a new binary system. The recent detection of the microquasar Cygnus X-3, between 100 MeV and few GeV, confirms that also this sub-class of accreting binaries displaying radio relativistic jets provides interesting candidates for very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray observations. The MAGIC telescopes made a significant effort to search for signals from X-ray binaries. This article will present the new results on LS I 61° +303, which show a reduction in the VHE γ-ray flux in the periodic outburst phase with respect to previous campaigns. MAGIC observed also HESS J0632 +057 in 2010 and 2011, covering an X-ray outburst reported by Swift in February 2011. These observations show significant activity in VHE gamma-rays temporally coincident with the X-ray outburst. In addition, this article will review MAGIC results on the microquasars Cygnus X-3, Cygnus X-1, and Scorpius X-1 which report constraining flux upper limits in different X-ray spectral states and as well as during flux enhancements at high energies.

High-energy X-ray diffuse scattering

2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 392-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. B. Ramsteiner ◽  
A. Schöps ◽  
H. Reichert ◽  
H. Dosch ◽  
V. Honkimäki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Scattering ◽  
Diffuse Scattering ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Absorption Length ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Extinction Length ◽  
Scattering Volume

Diffuse X-ray scattering has been an important tool for understanding the atomic structure of binary systems for more than 50 years. The majority of studies have used laboratory-based sources providing 8 keV photons or synchrotron radiation with similar energies. Diffuse scattering is weak, with the scattering volume determined by the X-ray absorption length. In the case of 8 keV photons, this is not significantly different from the typical extinction length for Bragg scattering. If, however, one goes to energies of the order of 100 keV the scattering volume for the diffuse scattering increases up to three orders of magnitude while the extinction length increases by only one order of magnitude. This leads to a gain of two orders of magnitude in the relative intensity of the diffuse scattering compared with the Bragg peaks. This gain, combined with the possibility of recording the intensity from an entire plane in reciprocal space using a two-dimensional X-ray detector, permits time-resolved diffuse scattering studies in many systems. On the other hand, diffraction features that are usually neglected, such as multiple scattering, come into play. Four types of multiple scattering phenomena are discussed, and the manner in which they appear in high-energy diffraction experiments is considered.

Very high energy gamma rays from x-ray binary pulsars

1990 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 1773-1803 ◽  
Author(s):  
P M Chadwick ◽  
T J L McComb ◽  
K E Turver
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Rays ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Binary Pulsars ◽  
High Energy Gamma ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Energy Gamma ◽  
Very High

RESULTS FROM GALACTIC OBSERVATIONS WITH MAGIC

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (06) ◽  
pp. 1023-1029
Author(s):  
◽  
JAVIER RICO
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Rays ◽  
Energy Band ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Cherenkov Telescope ◽  
La Palma ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Energy Gamma ◽  
High Energy Emission ◽  
Very High

MAGIC is a single-dish Cherenkov telescope located on La Palma (Spain), hence with an optimal view on the Northern sky. Sensitive to the 30 GeV–30 TeV energy band, it is nowadays the only ground-based instrument being able to measure high-energy gamma-rays below 100 GeV. With the operation in coincidence with MACIC-II, starting in Fall 2009, the sensitivity will be improved by a factor ~ 2. We review the results obtained by MAGIC on the very-high energy emission from pulsars, binary systems and microquasars.

scholarly journals Detection of very-high-energy γ-ray emission from the colliding wind binary η Car with H.E.S.S.

2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. A167 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
H. Abdalla ◽  
R. Adam ◽  
F. Aharonian ◽  
F. Ait Benkhali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Emission Region ◽  
Reconstructed Signal ◽  
Additional Noise ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Orbital Phase ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Stereoscopic System ◽  
Very High

Aims. Colliding wind binary systems have long been suspected to be high-energy (HE; 100 MeV < E < 100 GeV) γ-ray emitters. η Car is the most prominent member of this object class and is confirmed to emit phase-locked HE γ rays from hundreds of MeV to ~100 GeV energies. This work aims to search for and characterise the very-high-energy (VHE; E >100 GeV) γ-ray emission from η Car around the last periastron passage in 2014 with the ground-based High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.). Methods. The region around η Car was observed with H.E.S.S. between orbital phase p = 0.78−1.10, with a closer sampling at p ≈ 0.95 and p ≈ 1.10 (assuming a period of 2023 days). Optimised hardware settings as well as adjustments to the data reduction, reconstruction, and signal selection were needed to suppress and take into account the strong, extended, and inhomogeneous night sky background (NSB) in the η Car field of view. Tailored run-wise Monte-Carlo simulations (RWS) were required to accurately treat the additional noise from NSB photons in the instrument response functions. Results. H.E.S.S. detected VHE γ-ray emission from the direction of η Car shortly before and after the minimum in the X-ray light-curve close to periastron. Using the point spread function provided by RWS, the reconstructed signal is point-like and the spectrum is best described by a power law. The overall flux and spectral index in VHE γ rays agree within statistical and systematic errors before and after periastron. The γ-ray spectrum extends up to at least ~400 GeV. This implies a maximum magnetic field in a leptonic scenario in the emission region of 0.5 Gauss. No indication for phase-locked flux variations is detected in the H.E.S.S. data.

scholarly journals Accretion onto Relativistic Objects

1974 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 194-212
Author(s):  
M. J. Rees
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Neutron Stars ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Compact Object ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
Supermassive Black Holes ◽  
Compact Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Intergalactic Space

The physics of spherically symmetrical accretion onto a compact object is briefly reviewed. Neither neutron stars nor stellar-mass black holes are likely to be readily detectable if they are isolated and accreting from the interstellar medium. Supermassive black holes in intergalactic space may however be detectable. The effects of accretion onto compact objects in binary systems are then discussed, with reference to the phenomena observed in variable X-ray sources.

scholarly journals The Formation of Compact Objects in Binary Systems

1981 ◽  
Vol 93 ◽  
pp. 155-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.P.J. van den Heuvel
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Compact Star ◽  
Compact Objects ◽  
Binary Interaction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Tidal Forces ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
X Ray Binaries

The various ways in which compact objects (neutron stars and black holes) can be formed in interacting binary systems are qualitatively outlined on the basis of the three major modes of binary interaction identified by Webbink (1980). Massive interacting binary systems (M1 ≳ 10–12 M⊙) are, after the first phase of mass transfer expected to leave as remnants:(i) compact stars in massive binary systems (mass ≳ 10 M⊙) with a wide range of orbital periods, as remnants of quasi-conservative mass transfer; these systems later evolve into massive X-ray binaries.(ii) short-period compact star binaries (P ~ 1–2 days) in which the companion may be more massive or less massive than the compact object; these systems have high runaway velocities (≳ 100 km/sec) and start out with highly eccentric orbits, which are rapidly circularized by tidal forces; they may later evolve into low-mass X-ray binaries;(iii) single runaway compact objects with space velocities of ~ 102 to 4.102 km/sec; these are expected to be the most numerous compact remnants.Compact star binaries may also form from Cataclysmic binaries or wide binaries in which an O-Ne-Mg white dwarf is driven over the Chandrasekhar limit by accretion.

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