| 1. |
- Poutanen, Juri, et al.
(författare)
-
Black hole spin-orbit misalignment in the x-ray binary MAXI J1820+070
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 375:6583, s. 874-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The observational signatures of black holes in x-ray binary systems depend on their masses, spins, accretion rate, and the misalignment angle between the black hole spin and the orbital angular momentum. We present optical polarimetric observations of the black hole x-ray binary MAXI J1820+070, from which we constrain the position angle of the binary orbital. Combining this with previous determinations of the relativistic jet orientation. which traces the black hole spin, and the inclination of the orbit, we determine a lower limit of 40 degrees on the spin-orbit misalignment angle. The misalignment must originate from either the binary evolution or black hole formation stages. If other x-ray binaries have similarly large misalignments, these would bias measurements of black hole masses and spins from x-ray observations.
|
|
| 2. |
- Suleimanov, Valery F., et al.
(författare)
-
Basic parameters of the helium-accreting X-ray bursting neutron star in 4U 1820-30
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 472:4, s. 3905-3913
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ultracompact low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1820-30 situated in the globular cluster NGC 6624 has an orbital period of only approximate to 11.4 min, which likely implies a white dwarf companion. The observed X-ray bursts demonstrate a photospheric radius expansion phase and therefore are believed to reach the Eddington luminosity, allowing us to estimate the mass and the radius of the neutron star (NS) in this binary. Here, we re-analyse all Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations of the system and confirm that almost all the bursts took place during the hard persistent state of the system. This allows us to use the recently developed direct cooling tail method to estimate the NS mass and radius. However, because of the very short, about a second, duration of the cooling tail phases that can be described by the theoretical atmosphere models, the obtained constraints on the NS radius are not very strict. Assuming a pure helium NS atmosphere, we found that the NS radius is in the range 10-12 km, if the NS mass is below 1.7 M-circle dot, and in a wider range of 8-12 km for a higher 1.7-2.0 M-circle dot NS mass. The method also constrains the distance to the system to be 6.5 +/- 0.5 kpc, which is consistent with the distance to the cluster. For the solar composition atmosphere, the NS parameters are in strong contradiction with the generally accepted range of possible NS masses and radii.
|
|
| 3. |
- Suleimanov, Valery F., et al.
(författare)
-
The direct cooling tail method for X-ray burst analysis to constrain neutron star masses and radii
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 466:1, s. 906-913
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Determining neutron star (NS) radii and masses can help to understand the properties of matter at supra-nuclear densities. Thermal emission during thermonuclear X-ray bursts from NSs in low-mass X-ray binaries provides a unique opportunity to study NS parameters, because of the high fluxes, large luminosity variations and the related changes in the spectral properties. The standard cooling tail method uses hot NS atmosphere models to convert the observed spectral evolution during cooling stages of X-ray bursts to the Eddington flux F-Edd and the stellar angular size Omega. These are then translated to the constraints on the NS massMand radius R. Here we present the improved, direct cooling tail method that generalizes the standard approach. First, we adjust the cooling tail method to account for the bolometric correction to the flux. Then, we fit the observed dependence of the blackbody normalization on flux with a theoretical model directly on theM-R plane by interpolating theoretical dependences to a given gravity, hence ensuring only weakly informative priors for M and R instead of FEdd and Omega. The direct cooling method is demonstrated using a photospheric radius expansion burst from SAX J1810.8-2609, which has happened when the system was in the hard state. Comparing to the standard cooling tail method, the confidence regions are shifted by 1 sigma towards larger radii, giving R = 11.5-13.0 km at M = 1.3-1.8M(circle dot) for this NS.
|
|
| 4. |
- Veledina, Alexandra, et al.
(författare)
-
Evolving optical polarisation of the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP SCIENCES S A. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 623
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. The optical emission of black hole transients increases by several magnitudes during the X-ray outbursts. Whether the extra light arises from the X-ray heated outer disc, from the inner hot accretion flow, or from the jet is currently debated. Optical polarisation measurements are able to distinguish the relative contributions of these components. Methods. We present the results of BVR polarisation measurements of the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070 during the period of March-April 2018. Results. We detect small, similar to 0.7%, but statistically significant polarisation, part of which is of interstellar origin. Depending on the interstellar polarisation estimate, the intrinsic polarisation degree of the source is between similar to 0.3% and 0.7%, and the polarisation position angle is between similar to 10 degrees-30 degrees. We show that the polarisation increases after MJD 58222 (2018 April 14). The change is of the order of 0.1% and is most pronounced in the R band. The change of the source Stokes parameters occurs simultaneously with the drop of the observed V-band flux and a slow softening of the X-ray spectrum. The Stokes vectors of intrinsic polarisation before and after the drop are parallel, at least in the V and R filters. Conclusions. We suggest that the increased polarisation is due to the decreasing contribution of the non-polarized component, which we associate with the the hot flow or jet emission. The low polarisation can result from the tangled geometry of the magnetic field or from the Faraday rotation in the dense, ionised, and magnetised medium close to the black hole. The polarized optical emission is likely produced by the irradiated disc or by scattering of its radiation in the optically thin outflow.
|
|
| 5. |
- Veledina, Alexandra, et al.
(författare)
-
Expanding hot flow in the black hole binary SWIFT J1753.5-0127 : evidence from optical timing
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 470:1, s. 48-59
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe the evolution of optical and X-ray temporal characteristics during the outburst decline of the black hole X-ray binary SWIFT J1753.5-0127. The optical/ X-ray crosscorrelation function demonstrates a single positive correlation at the outburst peak, then it has multiple dips and peaks during the decline stage, which are then replaced by the precognition dip plus peak structure in the outburst tail. Power spectral densities and phase lags show a complex evolution, revealing the presence of intrinsically connected optical and X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations. For the first time, we quantitatively explain the evolution of these timing properties during the entire outburst within one model, the essence of which is the expansion of the hot accretion flow towards the tail of the outburst. The pivoting of the spectrum produced by synchrotron Comptonization in the hot flow is responsible for the appearance of the anticorrelation with the X-rays and for the optical quasi-periodic oscillations. Our model reproduces well the cross-correlation and phase lag spectrum during the decline stage, which could not be understood with any model proposed before.
|
|
