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Register a new userA Redshifted Inner Disk Atmosphere and Transient Absorbers in the Ultra-Compact Neutron Star X-ray Binary 4U 1916-053
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The very small accretion disks in ultra-compact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) are special laboratories in which to study disk accretion and outflows. We report on three sets of new (250 ks total) and archival (50 ks) Chandra/HETG observations of the dipping neutron-star X-ray binary 4U 1916$-$053, which has an orbital period of $Psimeq 50$~minutes. We find that the bulk of the absorption in all three spectra originates in a disk atmosphere that is redshifted by $vsimeq 220-290$ $text{km}$ $text{s}^{-1}$, corresponding to the gravitational redshift at radius of $R sim 1200$ $GM/{c}^{2}$. This shift is present in the strongest, most highly ionized lines (Si XIV and Fe XXVI), with a significance of 5$sigma$. Absorption lines observed during dipping events (typically associated with the outermost disk) instead display no velocity shifts and serve as a local standard of rest, suggesting that the redshift is intrinsic to an inner disk atmosphere and not due to radial motion in the galaxy or a kick. In two spectra, there is also evidence of a more strongly redshifted component that would correspond to a disk atmosphere at $R sim 70$ $GM/{c}^{2}$; this component is significant at the 3$sigma$ level. Finally, in one spectrum, we find evidence of disk wind with a blue shift of $v = {-1700}^{+1700}_{-1200}$ $text{km}$ $text{s}^{-1}$. If real, this wind would require magnetic driving.
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The dipping source XB 1916-053 is a compact binary system with an orbital period of 50 min harboring a neutron star. Using ten new {it Chandra} observations and one {it Swift/XRT} observation, we are able to extend the baseline of the orbital ephemeris; this allows us to exclude some models that explain the dip arrival times. The Chandra observations provide a good plasma diagnostic of the ionized absorber and allow us to determine whether it is placed at the outer rim of the accretion disk or closer to the compact object. From the available observations we are able to obtain three new dip arrival times extending the baseline of the orbital ephemeris from 37 to 40 years. From the analysis of the dip arrival times we confirm an orbital period derivative of $dot{P}=1.46(3) times 10^{-11}$ s s$^{-1}$. We show that the $dot{P}$ value and the luminosity values are compatible with a mass accretion rate lower than 10% of the mass transfer rate. We show that the mass ratio $q=m_2/m_1$ of 0.048 explains the apsidal precession period and the nodal precession period. The observed absorption lines are associated with the presence of ion{Ne}{x}, ion{Mg}{xii}, ion{Si}{xiv}, ion{S}{xvi,} and ion{Fe}{xxvi} ions. We observe a redshift in the absorption lines between $1.1 times 10^{-3}$ and $1.3 times 10^{-3}$. By interpreting it as gravitational redshift, as recently discussed in the literature, we find that the ionized absorber is placed at a distance of $10^8$ cm from the neutron star with a mass of 1.4 M$_{odot}$ and has a hydrogen atom density greater than $10^{15}$ cm$^{-3}$. (Abstract abridged)
We present a spectral analysis of a brief Chandra/HETG observation of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary GX~340+0. The high-resolution spectrum reveals evidence of ionized absorption in the Fe K band. The strongest feature, an absorption line at approximately 6.9 keV, is required at the 5 sigma level of confidence via an F-test. Photoionization modeling with XSTAR grids suggests that the line is the most prominent part of a disk wind with an apparent outflow speed of v = 0.04c. This interpretation is preferred at the 4 sigma level over a scenario in which the line is H-like Fe XXVI at a modest red-shift. The wind may achieve this speed owing to its relatively low ionization, enabling driving by radiation pressure on lines; in this sense, the wind in GX 340+0 may be the stellar-mass equivalent of the flows in broad absorption line quasars (BALQSOs). If the gas has a unity volume filling factor, the mass ouflow rate in the wind is over 10^-5 Msun/year, and the kinetic power is nearly 10^39 erg/s (or, 5-6 times the radiative Eddington limit for a neutron star). However, geometrical considerations - including a small volume filling factor and low covering factor - likely greatly reduce these values.
Iron emission lines at 6.4-6.97 keV, identified with fluorescent Kalpha transitions, are among the strongest discrete features in the X-ray band. These are therefore one of the most powerful probes to infer the properties of the plasma in the innermost part of the accretion disc around a compact object. In this paper we present a recent XMM observation of the X-ray burster 4U 1705-44, where we clearly detect a relativistically smeared iron line at about 6.7 keV, testifying with high statistical significance that the line profile is distorted by high velocity motion in the accretion disc. As expected from disc reflection models, we also find a significant absorption edge at about 8.3 keV; this feature appears to be smeared, and is compatible with being produced in the same region where the iron line is produced. From the line profile we derive the physical parameters of the inner accretion disc with large precision. The line is identified with the Kalpha transition of highly ionised iron, Fe XXV, the inner disc radius is Rin = (14 pm 2) R_g (where R_g is the Gravitational radius, GM/c^2), the emissivity dependence from the disc radius is r^{-2.27 pm 0.08}, the inclination angle with respect to the line of sight is i = (39 pm 1) degrees. Finally, the XMM spectrum shows evidences of other low-energy emission lines, which again appear broad and their profiles are compatible with being produced in the same region where the iron line is produced.
We report on the long term monitoring of X-ray dips from the ultracompact low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) XB 1916-053. Roughly one-month interval observations were carried out with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) during 1996, during which the source varied between dim, hard states and more luminous, soft states. The dip spectra and dip lightcurves were compared against both the broadband luminosity and the derived mass accretion rate Mdot. The dips spectra could be fitted by an absorbed blackbody plus cut-off power law non-dip spectral model, with additional absorption ranging from 0 to >100 x 10^22 cm^-2. The amount of additional blackbody absorption was found to vary with the source luminosity. Our results are consistent with an obscuration of the inner disk region by a partially ionized outer disk. The size of the corona, derived from the dip ingress times, was found to be ~10^9 cm. The corona size did not correlate with the coronal temperature, but seemed to increase when Mdot also increased. We discuss our findings in the context of an evaporated accretion disk corona model and an ADAF-type model.
The persistently bright ultra-compact neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1820$-$30 displays a $sim$170 d accretion cycle, evolving between phases of high and low X-ray modes, where the 3 -- 10 keV X-ray flux changes by a factor of up to $approx 8$. The source is generally in a soft X-ray spectral state, but may transition to a harder state in the low X-ray mode. Here, we present new and archival radio observations of 4U 1820$-$30 during its high and low X-ray modes. For radio observations taken within a low mode, we observed a flat radio spectrum consistent with 4U 1820$-$30 launching a compact radio jet. However, during the high X-ray modes the compact jet was quenched and the radio spectrum was steep, consistent with optically-thin synchrotron emission. The jet emission appeared to transition at an X-ray luminosity of $L_{rm X (3-10 keV)} sim 3.5 times 10^{37} (D/rm{7.6 kpc})^{2}$ erg s$^{-1}$. We also find that the low-state radio spectrum appeared consistent regardless of X-ray hardness, implying a connection between jet quenching and mass accretion rate in 4U 1820$-$30, possibly related to the properties of the inner accretion disk or boundary layer.
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