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Register a new userThe Disk Wind in the Neutron Star Low-mass X-Ray Binary GX 13+1
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Jessamyn Leigh Allen
Publication date
2018
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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We present the analysis of seven emph{Chandra} High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer and six simultaneous emph{RXTE} Proportional Counter Array observations of the persistent neutron star (NS) low-mass X-ray binary GX 13+1 on its normal and horizontal branches. Across nearly 10 years, GX 13+1 is consistently found to be accreting at $50-70$% Eddington, and all observations exhibit multiple narrow, blueshifted absorption features, the signature of a disk wind, despite the association of normal and horizontal branches with jet activity. A single absorber with standard abundances cannot account for all seven major disk wind features, indicating that multiple absorption zones may be present. Two or three absorbers can produce all of the absorption features at their observed broadened widths and reveal that multiple kinematic components produce the accretion disk wind signature. Assuming the most ionized absorber reflects the physical conditions closest to the NS, we estimate a wind launching radius of $7times10^{10}$ cm, for an electron density of $10^{12}$ cm$^{-3}$. This is consistent with the Compton radius and also with a thermally driven wind. Because of the sources high Eddington fraction, radiation pressure likely facilitates the wind launching.
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We fit the observed high ionisation X-ray absorption lines in the neutron star binary GX13+1 with a full simulation of a thermal-radiative wind. This uses a radiation hydrodynamic code coupled to Monte Carlo radiation transfer to compute the observed line profiles from Hydrogen and Helium-like iron and Nickel, including all strong K{alpha} and K{beta} transitions. The wind is very strong as this object has a very large disc and is very luminous. The absorption lines from Fe K{alpha} are strongly saturated as the ion columns are large, so the line equivalent widths (EWs) depend sensitively on the velocity structure. We additionally simulate the lines including isotropic turbulence at the level of the azimuthal and radial velocities. We fit these models to the Fe xxv and xxvi absorption lines seen in the highest resolution Chandra third order HETGS data. These data already rule out the addition of turbulence at the level of the radial velocity of ~500 km/s. The velocity structure predicted by the thermal-radiative wind alone is a fairly good match to the observed profile, with an upper limit to additional turbulence at the level of the azimuthal velocity of ~100 km/s. This gives stringent constraints on any remaining contribution from magnetic acceleration.
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.
Using the High Resolution Camera onboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory, we have measured an accurate position for the bright persistent neutron-star X-ray binary and atoll source GX 3+1. At a location that is consistent with this new position we have discovered the near-infrared (NIR) counterpart to GX 3+1 in images taken with the PANIC and FourStar cameras on the Magellan Baade Telescope. The identification of this K_s=15.8+-0.1 mag star as the counterpart is based on the presence of a Br-gamma emission line in a NIR spectrum taken with the FIRE spectrograph on the Baade Telescope. The absolute magnitude derived from the best available distance estimate to GX 3+1 indicates that the mass donor in the system is not a late-type giant. We find that the NIR light in GX 3+1 is likely dominated by the contribution from a heated outer accretion disk. This is similar to what has been found for the NIR flux from the brighter class of Z sources, but unlike the behavior of atolls fainter (Lx ~ 1e36 to 1e37 erg/s) than GX 3+1, where optically-thin synchrotron emission from a jet probably dominates the NIR flux.
We have determined an improved position for the luminous persistent neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary and atoll source GX 9+1 from archival Chandra X-ray Observatory data. The new position significantly differs from a previously published Chandra position for this source. Based on the revised X-ray position we have identified a new near-infrared (NIR) counterpart to GX 9+1 in Ks-band images obtained with the PANIC and FourStar cameras on the Magellan Baade Telescope. NIR spectra of this Ks=16.5+-0.1 mag star taken with the FIRE spectrograph on the Baade Telescope show a strong Br-gamma emission line, which is a clear signature that we discovered the true NIR counterpart to GX 9+1. The mass donor in GX 9+1 cannot be a late-type giant, as such a star would be brighter than the estimated absolute Ks magnitude of the NIR counterpart. The slope of the dereddened NIR spectrum is poorly constrained due to uncertainties in the column density N_H and NIR extinction. Considering the sources distance and X-ray luminosity, we argue that N_H likely lies near the high end of the previously suggested range. If this is indeed the case, the NIR spectrum is consistent with thermal emission from a heated accretion disk, possibly with a contribution from the secondary. In this respect, GX 9+1 is similar to other bright atolls and the Z sources whose NIR spectra do not show the slope that is expected for a dominant contribution from optically thin synchrotron emission from the inner regions of a jet.
1RXS J180408.9-342058 is a transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binary that exhibited a bright accretion outburst in 2015. We present Nustar, Swift, and Chandra observations obtained around the peak of this outburst. The source was in a soft X-ray spectral state and displayed an X-ray luminosity of Lx~(2-3)E37 (D/5.8 kpc)^2 erg cm-2 (0.5-10 keV). The Nustar data reveal a broad Fe-K emission line that we model as relativistically broadened reflection to constrain the accretion geometry. We found that the accretion disk is viewed at an inclination of i~27-35 degrees and extended close to the neutron star, down to Rin~5-7.5 gravitational radii (~11-17 km). This inner disk radius suggests that the neutron star magnetic field strength is B<2E8 G. We find a narrow absorption line in the Chandra/HEG data at an energy of ~7.64 keV with a significance of ~4.8 sigma. This feature could correspond to blue-shifted Fe xxvi and arise from an accretion disk wind, which would imply an outflow velocity of v~0.086c (~25800 km s-1). However, this would be extreme for an X-ray binary and it is unclear if a disk wind should be visible at the low inclination angle that we infer from our reflection analysis. Finally, we discuss how the X-ray and optical properties of 1RXS J180408.9-342058 are consistent with a relatively small (Porb<3 hr) binary orbit.
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