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Register a new userThe Variable X-ray Spectrum of Markarian 766 - II. Time-Resolved Spectroscopy
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CONTEXT: The variable X-ray spectra of AGN systematically show steep power-law high states and hard-spectrum low states. The hard low state has previously been found to be a component with only weak variability. The origin of this component and the relative importance of effects such as absorption and relativistic blurring are currently not clear. AIMS: In a follow-up of previous principal components analysis, we aim to determine the relative importance of scattering and absorption effects on the time-varying X-ray spectrum of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk~766. METHODS: Time-resolved spectroscopy, slicing XMM and Suzaku data down to 25 ks elements, is used to investigate whether absorption or scattering components dominate the spectral variations in Mrk 766.Time-resolved spectroscopy confirms that spectral variability in Mrk 766 can be explained by either of two interpretations of principal components analysis. Detailed investigation confirm rapid changes in the relative strengths of scattered and direct emission or rapid changes in absorber covering fraction provide good explanations of most of the spectral variability. However, a strong correlation between the 6.97 keV absorption line and the primary continuum together with rapid opacity changes show that variations in a complex and multi-layered absorber, most likely a disk wind, are the dominant source of spectral variability in Mrk 766
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We present time-resolved spectroscopy acquired during two epochs (spaced apart by ~15 days) of the eclipsing Low Mass X-ray Binary AC211/X2127+119 in the globular cluster M15. The spectra show variations in the HeII 4686 emission line not only modulated on the orbital period, but also on time-scales of a few days. During the first epoch of observation, the emission line shows a strong S-wave superimposed on the average double-peaked profile. The line exhibits no evidence of rotational disturbance at the orbital phases when the eclipse is observed in the optical continuum. During the second epoch, no double-peak or S-wave component is present. The HeI absorption lines detected by other authors are not present in our spectra. A Doppler image of the HeII 4686 for the first epoch supports the presence of the accretion disc. No hotspot is detected, although enhanced emission at V_X=30km/s, V_Y=160 km/s is observed. We discuss the implications of this emission in the context of an X-ray heated donor star, in which case a high mass ratio and neutron star primary are implied. Finally, we speculate on the possibility of a misaligned secondary star in AC211.
We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the Be star HD 76534, which was observed to have an Halpha outburst in 1995, when the line went from photospheric absorption to emission at a level of more than two times the continuum within 2.5 hours. To investigate the short-term behaviour of the spectrum of HD 76534 we have obtained 30 spectra within two hours real-time and searched for variations in the spectrum. Within the levels of statistical significance, no variability was found. Rather than periodic on short time scales, the Halpha behaviour seems to be commonly episodic on longer (>1 year) time scales, as an assessment of the existing data on the Halpha line and the Hipparcos photometry suggests. HD 76534 underwent only 1 photometric outburst in the 3 year span that the star was monitored by the Hipparcos satellite.
High harmonic generation is a convenient way to obtain extreme ultraviolet light from table-top laser systems and the experimental tools to exploit this simple and powerful light source for time-resolved spectroscopy are being developed by several groups. For these applications, brightness and stability of the high harmonic generation is a key feature. This article focuses on practical aspects in the generation of extreme ultraviolet pulses with ultrafast commercial lasers, namely generation parameters and online monitoring as well as analysis of generation yield and stability.
GRB 190114C was a bright burst that occurred in the local Universe (z=0.425). It was the first gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever detected at TeV energies, thanks to MAGIC. We characterize the ambient medium properties of the host galaxy through the study of the absorbing X-ray column density. Joining Swift, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR observations, we find that the GRB X-ray spectrum is characterized by a high column density that is well in excess of the expected Milky Way value and decreases, by a factor of ~2, around ~$10^5$ s. Such a variability is not common in GRBs. The most straightforward interpretation of the variability in terms of photoionization of the ambient medium is not able to account for the decrease at such late times, when the source flux is less intense. Instead, we interpret the decrease as due to a clumped absorber, denser along the line of sight and surrounded by lower-density gas. After the detection at TeV energies of GRB 190114C, two other GRBs were promptly detected. They share a high value of the intrinsic column density and there are hints for a decrease of the column density, too. We speculate that a high local column density might be a common ingredient for TeV-detected GRBs.
Competing models for broad spectral features in the soft X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert I galaxy Mrk766 are tested against data from a 130 ks XMM-Newton observation. A model including relativistically broadened Ly-alpha emission lines of OVIII, NVII and CVI is a better fit to 0.3-2 keV XMM RGS data than a dusty warm absorber. Moreover, the measured depth of neutral iron absorption lines in the spectrum is inconsistent with the magnitude of the iron edge required to produce the continuum break at 17-18Angstroms in the dusty warm absorber model. The relativistic emission line model can reproduce the broad-band (0.1-12 keV) XMM-EPIC data with the addition of a fourth line to represent emission from ionized iron at 6.7 keV and an excess due to reflection at energies above the iron line. The profile of the 6.7 keV iron line is consistent with that measured for the low energy lines. There is evidence in the RGS data at the 3sigma level for spectral features that vary with source flux. The covering fraction of warm absorber gas is estimated to be ~12%. Iron in the warm absorber is found to be overabundant with respect to CNO compared to solar values.
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