The K-shell Line Distribution of Heavy Elements along the Galactic Plane Observed with Suzaku

We report the global distribution of the intensities of the K-shell lines from the He-like and H-like ions of S, Ar, Ca and Fe along the Galactic plane. From the profiles, we clearly separate the Galactic center X-ray emission (GCXE) and the Galactic ridge X-ray emission (GRXE). The intensity profiles of the He-like K$\alpha$ lines of S, Ar, Ca and Fe along the Galactic plane are approximately similar with each other, while not for the H-like Ly$\alpha$ lines. In particular, the profiles of H-like Ly$\alpha$ of S and Fe show remarkable contrast; a large excess of Fe and almost no excess of S lines in the GCXE compared to the GRXE. Although the prominent K-shell lines are represented by $\sim$1 keV and $\sim$7 keV temperature plasmas, these two temperatures are not equal between the GCXE and GRXE. In fact, the spectral analysis of the GCXE and GRXE revealed that the $\sim$1 keV plasma in the GCXE has lower temperature than that in the GRXE, and vice versa for the $\sim$7 keV plasma.Comment: Accepted by PASJ. It will be published in PASJ Vol.65 No.

Global Distribution of Fe K alpha Lines in the Galactic Center Region Observed with the Suzaku Satellite

We have surveyed spatial profiles of the Fe K$\alpha$ lines in the Galactic center diffuse X-rays (GCDX), including the transient region from the GCDX to the Galactic ridge X-ray emission (GRXE), with the Suzaku satellite. We resolved Fe K$\alpha$ line complex into three lines of Fe \emissiontype{I}, Fe \emissiontype{XXV} and Fe \emissiontype{XXVI} K$\alpha$, and obtained their spatial intensity profiles with the resolution of \sim \timeform{0D.1}. We compared the Fe \emissiontype{XXV} K$\alpha$ profile with a stellar mass distribution (SMD) model made from near infrared observations. The intensity profile of Fe \emissiontype{XXV} K$\alpha$ is nicely fitted with the SMD model in the GRXE region, while that in the GCDX region shows $3.8\pm0.3$ (\timeform{0D.2}<|l|<\timeform{1D.5}) or $19\pm6$ (|l|<\timeform{0D.2}) times excess over the best-fit SMD model in the GRXE region. Thus Fe \emissiontype{XXV} K$\alpha$ in the GCDX is hardly explained by the same origin of the GRXE. In the case of point source origin, a new population with the extremely strong Fe \emissiontype{XXV} K$\alpha$ line is required. An alternative possibility is that the majority of the GCDX is truly diffuse optically thin thermal plasma.Comment: Accepted by PAS

Suzaku Observations of the Great Annihilator and the Surrounding Diffuse Emissions

We report the Suzaku observation of 1E 1740.7-2942, a black hole candidate called the "Great Annihilator" (GA). The high-quality spectrum of Suzaku provides the severest constraints on the parameters of the GA. Two clumpy structures are found around the GA in the line images of FeI Kalpha at 6.4 keV and SXV Kalpha at 2.45 keV. One clump named M359.23-0.04 exhibits the 6.4-keV line with an equivalent width of ~ 1.2 keV, and is associated with a molecular cloud in the radio CS(J=1-0) map. Thus the 6.4-keV line from M359.23-0.04 is likely due to X-ray fluorescence irradiated by an external X-ray source. The irradiating X-rays would be either the past flare of Sagittarius A* or the bright nearby source, the GA. The other clump named G359.12-0.05 is associated with the radio supernova remnant candidate G359.07-0.02. We therefore propose that G359.12-0.05 is an X-ray counterpart of G359.07-0.02. G359.12-0.05 has a thin thermal plasma spectrum with a temperature of kT ~ 0.9 keV. The plasma parameters of G359.12-0.05 are consistent with those of a single supernova remnant in the Galactic center region.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PASJ (Vol.62, No.4

The Nature of the Stable Soft X-ray Emissions in Several Types of Active Galactic Nuclei Observed by Suzaku

To constrain the origin of the soft X-ray excess phenomenon seen in many active galactic nuclei, the intensity-correlated spectral analysis, developed by Noda et al. (2011b) for Markarian 509, was applied to wide-band (0.5-45 keV) Suzaku data of five representative objects with relatively weak reflection signature. They are the typical bare-nucleus type 1 Seyfert Fairall 9, the bright and typical type 1.5 Seyfert MCG-2-58-22, 3C382 which is one of the X-ray brightest broad line radio galaxies, the typical Seyfert-like radio loud quasar 4C+74.26, and the X-ray brightest radio quiet quasar MR2251-178. In all of them, soft X-ray intensities in energies below 3 keV were tightly correlated with that in 3-10 keV, but with significant positive offsets. These offsets, when calculated in finer energy bands, define a stable soft component in 0.5-3 keV. In each object, this component successfully explained the soft excess above a power-law fit. These components were interpreted in several alternative ways, including a thermal Comptonization component which is independent of the dominant power-law emission. This interpretation, considered physically most reasonable, is discussed from a viewpoint of Multi-Zone Comptonization, which was proposed for the black hole binary Cygnus X-1 (Makishima et al. 2008).Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, 7 table

No X-Ray Excess from the HESS J1741-302 Region except a New Intermediate Polar Candidate

With the Suzaku satellite, we observed an unidentified TeV gamma-ray source HESS J1741$-$302 and its surroundings. No diffuse or point-like X-ray sources are detected from the bright southern emission peak of HESS J1741$-$302. From its neighborhood, we found a new intermediate polar candidate at the position of (\alpha, \delta)_{\rm J2000.0} = (\timeform{17h40m35.6s}, \timeform{-30D14m16s}), which is designated as Suzaku J174035.6$-$301416. The spectrum of Suzaku J174035.6$-$301416 exhibits emission lines at the energy of 6.4, 6.7 and 7.0 keV, which can be assigned as the K$\alpha$ lines from neutral, He-like and H-like iron, respectively. A coherent pulsation is found at a period of 432.1 $\pm$ 0.1 s. The pulse profile is quasi-sinusoidal in the hard X-ray band (4$-$8 keV), but is more complicated in the soft X-ray band (1$-$3 keV). The moderate period of pulsation, the energy flux, and the presence of the iron K$\alpha$ lines indicate that Suzaku J174035.6$-$301416 is likely an intermediate polar, a subclass of magnetized white dwarf binaries (cataclysmic variables). Based on these discoveries, we give some implications on the origin of GCDX and brief comments on HESS J1741$-$302 and PSR B1737$-$30.Comment: Accepted by PAS