scholarly journals The chemical composition of the accretion disc and donor star in ultra-compact X-ray binaries: A comprehensive X-ray analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 501 (1) ◽  
pp. 548-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippos Koliopanos ◽  
Mathias Péault ◽  
Georgios Vasilopoulos ◽  
Natalie Webb
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Line Strength ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Accretion Discs ◽  
Type I ◽  
Iron Line ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
History Of ◽  
X Ray Binaries

ABSTRACT We have analysed the X-ray spectra of all known Ultra-Compact X-ray Binaries (UCXBs), with the purpose of constraining the chemical composition of their accretion disc and donor star. Our investigation was focused on the presence (or absence) of the Fe Kα emission line, which was used as the probe of chemical composition of the disc, based on previously established theoretical predictions for the reflection of X-ray radiation off the surface of C/O-rich or He-rich accretion discs in UCXBs. We have contrasted the results of our spectral analysis to the history of type I X-ray bursts from these systems, which can also indicate donor star composition. We found that UCXBs with prominent and persistent iron Kα emission also featured repeat bursting activity. On the other hand, the UCXBs for which no iron line was detected, appear to have few or no type I X-ray bursts detected over more than a decade of monitoring. Based on Monte Carlo simulations, demonstrating a strong correlation between the Fe Kα line strength and the abundance of C and O in the accretion disc material and given the expected correlation between the H/He abundance and the recurrence rate of type I X-ray bursts, we propose that there is a considerable likelihood that UCXBs with persistent iron emission have He-rich donors, while those that do not, likely have C/O or O/Ne/Mg-rich donors. Our result strongly advocate for the development of more sophisticated simulations of X-ray reflection from hydrogen-poor accretion discs.

scholarly journals Super-Eddington accretion discs with advection and outflows around magnetized neutron stars

2019 ◽  
Vol 626 ◽  
pp. A18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Chashkina ◽  
Galina Lipunova ◽  
Pavel Abolmasov ◽  
Juri Poutanen
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Neutron Stars ◽  
Mass Loss ◽  
Accretion Rate ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Accretion Discs ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Radial Profiles ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Eddington Limit

We present a model for a super-Eddington accretion disc around a magnetized neutron star taking into account advection of heat and the mass loss by the wind. The model is semi-analytical and predicts radial profiles of all the basic physical characteristics of the accretion disc. The magnetospheric radius is found as an eigenvalue of the problem. When the inner disc is in radiation-pressure-dominated regime but does not reach its local Eddington limit, advection is mild, and the radius of the magnetosphere depends weakly on the accretion rate. Once it approaches the local Eddington limit the disc becomes advection-dominated, and the scaling for the magnetospheric radius with the mass accretion rate is similar to the classical Alfvén relation. Allowing for the mass loss in a wind leads to an increase in the magnetospheric radius. Our model can be applied to a wide variety of magnetized neutron stars accreting close to or above their Eddington limits: ultra-luminous X-ray pulsars, Be/X-ray binaries in outbursts, and other systems. In the context of our model we discuss the observational properties of NGC 5907 X-1, the brightest ultra-luminous pulsar currently known, and NGC 300 ULX1, which is apparently a Be/X-ray binary experiencing a very bright super-Eddington outburst.

scholarly journals Black hole spin in X-ray binaries: giving uncertainties an f

2020 ◽  
Vol 500 (3) ◽  
pp. 3640-3666
Author(s):  
Greg Salvesen ◽  
Jonah M Miller
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Correction Factor ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Iron Line ◽  
Error Budget ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Black Hole Spin ◽  
Systematic Uncertainties ◽  
Spin Measurements ◽  
X Ray Binaries

ABSTRACT The two established techniques for measuring black hole spin in X-ray binaries often yield conflicting results, which must be resolved before either method may be deemed robust. In practice, black hole spin measurements based on fitting the accretion disc continuum effectively do not marginalize over the colour-correction factor fcol. This factor parametrizes spectral hardening of the disc continuum by the disc atmosphere, whose true properties are poorly constrained. We incorporate reasonable systematic uncertainties in fcol into the eight (non-maximal) black hole spin measurements vetted by the disc continuum fitting community. In most cases, an fcol uncertainty of ±0.2–0.3 dominates the black hole spin error budget. We go on to demonstrate that plausible departures in fcol values from those adopted by the disc continuum fitting practitioners can bring the discrepant black hole spins into agreement with those from iron line modelling. Systematic uncertainties in fcol, such as the effects of strong magnetization, should be better understood before dismissing their potentially dominant impact on the black hole spin error budget.

scholarly journals X-ray Dips in AGN and Microquasars – Collapse Timescales of Inner Accretion Disc

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayur B Shende ◽  
Prashali Chauhan ◽  
Prasad Subramanian
Keyword(s):  
Collisionless Plasma ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Outer Radius ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Accretion Discs ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Temporal Behaviour ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Ray Diffusion ◽  
3C 120

Abstract The temporal behaviour of X-rays from some AGN and microquasars is thought to arise from the rapid collapse of the hot, inner parts of their accretion discs. The collapse can occur over the radial infall timescale of the inner accretion disc. However, estimates of this timescale are hindered by a lack of knowledge of the operative viscosity in the collisionless plasma comprising the inner disc. We use published simulation results for cosmic ray diffusion through turbulent magnetic fields to arrive at a viscosity prescription appropriate to hot accretion discs. We construct simplified disc models using this viscosity prescription and estimate disc collapse timescales for 3C 120, 3C 111, and GRS 1915+105. The Shakura-Sunyaev α parameter resulting from our model ranges from 0.02 to 0.08. Our inner disc collapse timescale estimates agree well with those of the observed X-ray dips. We find that the collapse timescale is most sensitive to the outer radius of the hot accretion disc.

ROOM TEMPERATURE MAGNETIC ANOMALIES IN BENZENE TREATED Bi–Pb–Sr–Ca–Cu–O POWDER

1991 ◽  
Vol 05 (21) ◽  
pp. 1447-1456 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. HARUTUNYAN ◽  
L. S. GRIGORYAN ◽  
A. S. KUZANYAN ◽  
A. A. KUZNETSOV ◽  
A. A. TERENTIEV ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Microprobe Analysis ◽  
Magnetic Anomalies ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Field Dependent ◽  
History Of

Two samples of benzene-treated Bi–Pb–Sr–Ca–Cu–O powder exhibited at 300 K magnetic field dependent diamagnetism and magnetization irreversibility. The treatment with benzene resulted also in the appearance of microwave absorption at low magnetic fields, while is sensitive to magnetic history of the sample. From X-ray diffraction data one can see that upon benzene treatment the reflections of 85 K and 110 K phases do not change practically, but a series of new reflections appeared, indicating a lattice modulation with 4.9 nm periodicity. A microprobe analysis revealed substantial inhomogeneity of chemical composition across the samples. The room temperature anomalies were weakened in one sample and vanished in the second upon thermal cycling.

scholarly journals Accretion Disc Formation in Intermediate Polars

1996 ◽  
Vol 158 ◽  
pp. 161-164
Author(s):  
G. A. Wynn ◽  
A. R. King
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Local Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Systems ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Accretion Flow ◽  
Intermediate Polars ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Disc Formation

The large-scale accretion flow in the intermediate polars (IPs) is still a matter of vigorous debate. It is known that the magnetic field of the white dwarf (WD) controls the accretion flow close to the surface, channeling the plasma onto the polecaps and giving rise to X-ray emission modulated at the WD spin period (Pspin). After their discovery it was assumed that IPs were the WD analogues of the pulsing X-ray binaries, where a magnetic neutron star accretes from a disrupted accretion disc. However, a number of authors have pointed out that the criteria for disc formation in IPs are less certain than those for the X-ray binaries.The simplest possible criterion for disc formation in a binary is that the accretion flow should be able to orbit freely about the primary star (see Frank, King & Raine 1991 for a review). In non-magnetic systems this is merely the condition that the minimum approach distance of the free stream (Rmin) should exceed the radius of the primary. The situation in magnetic systems is more complex, as the magnetic field of the primary presents an obstacle to the infalling accretion stream. In many treatments of IPs it is assumed that the plasma stream is able to orbit freely about the WD until the ram pressure of the stream is of the same order as the magnetic pressureρv2~B2/8π, whereρis the stream density,vthe stream velocity andBthe local magnetic field strength. This condition fixes the magnetospheric radius,Rmag, inside which the magnetic field is assumed to thread the stream material and direct the accretion flow along the fieldlines.

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