A comparison of the fast timing behaviour of 4U 1705-44 to that of 4U 1608-52 and Cyg X-1

We studied the fast timing behaviour of the atoll source 4U 1705-44 using the entire EXOSAT dataset, four observations covering a total of 230,000 seconds of 1-20 keV spectral and timing data. In one of the observations, 4U 1705-44 was in a low intensity "island" state and had an unusually hard spectrum. The fast timing analysis of this hard island state shows a power spectrum very similar to that of black hole candidates in the "low state", with a flat-topped band-limited noise component that gradually steepens towards higher frequency. We perform for the first time a quantitative comparison of the timing behaviour of an atoll source in the hard island state (4U 1705-44) with that of a black hole candidate in the low state (Cygnus X-1). We also compare the power spectrum of 4U 1705-44 in the hard island state with those of the atoll source 4U 1608-52 in a similar state as reported by Yoshida et al. (1993). Our results confirm that there are similarities between the fast timing behaviour of the hard island states of these atoll sources and the low state of black hole candidates, yet we also find significant differences in power spectral parameters; the power spectra of the neutron star systems have a lower rms amplitude and are less steep. We find a trend among the neutron star power spectral properties, in the sense that the lower the centroid frequency of the fitted Lorentzian is, the higher its fractional rms amplitude, and the steeper the continuum underneath it. We propose a new method to fit the power spectra of Cyg X-1 and other black hole candidates in the low state, that provides a significantly better fit than previous models.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A 7 pages 4 figure

Identification of black hole power spectral components across all canonical states

From a uniform analysis of a large (8.5 Ms) Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data set of Low Mass X-ray Binaries, we present a complete identification of all the variability components in the power spectra of black holes in their canonical states. It is based on gradual frequency shifts of the components observed between states, and uses a previous identification in the black hole low hard state as a starting point. It is supported by correlations between the frequencies in agreement with those previously found to hold for black hole and neutron stars. Similar variability components are observed in neutron stars and black holes (only the component observed at the highest frequencies is different) which therefore cannot depend on source-specific characteristics such as the magnetic field or surface of the neutron star or spin of the black hole. As the same variability components are also observed across the jet-line the X-ray variability cannot originate from the outer-jet but is most likely produced in either the disk or the corona. We use the identification to directly compare the difference in strength of the black hole and neutron star variability and find these can be attributed to differences in frequency and strength of high frequency features, and do not require the absence of any components. Black holes attain their highest frequencies (in the hard-intermediate and very-high states) at a level a factor ~6 below the highest frequencies attained by the corresponding neutron star components, which can be related to the mass difference between the compact objects in these systems.Comment: 17 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

The Amplitude of the Kilohertz Quasi-periodic Oscillations in 4U 1728-34, 4U 1608-52, and Aql X-1, as a Function of X-ray Intensity

We study the kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in the low-mass X-ray binaries 4U 1728-34, 4U 1608-52, and Aql X-1. Each source traces out a set of nearly parallel lines in a frequency vs. X-ray count rate diagram. We find that between two of these tracks, for similar QPO frequency, the source count rate can differ by up to a factor of ~ 4, whereas at the same time the rms amplitude of the kHz QPOs is only a factor of ~ 1.1 different. We also find that, for 4U 1608-52 and Aql X-1, the rms spectrum of the kHz QPOs does not depend upon which track the source occupies in the frequency vs. X-ray count rate diagram. Our results for 4U 1728-34, 4U 1608-52, and Aql X-1 are inconsistent with scenarios in which the properties of the kHz QPOs are only determined by the mass accretion rate through the disk, whereas X-ray count rate also depends upon other sources of energy that do not affect the QPOs.Comment: Submitted to ApJ.(7 pages; 9 figures

The X-ray fast-time variability of Sco X-2 (GX 349+2) with RXTE

Sco X-2 (GX 349+2) is a low-mass X-ray binary and Z source. We have analysed 156 ks of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data, obtained in 1998 January, on this source. We investigated the fast-time variability as a function of position on the Z track. During these observations, Sco X-2 traced out the most extensive Z track ever reported from this object, making this the most comprehensive study thus far. We found the broad peaked flaring branch noise that is typical of Sco X-2, with a centroid frequency in the range 3.3--5.8 Hz. We also discovered low frequency noise, and a new peaked noise feature, with centroid frequencies in the range 5.4--7.6 Hz and 11--54 Hz, respectively. We discuss the phenomenology of these features, their relationship with the power spectral components found in other low-mass X-ray binaries, and the implications for current models. In particular, the low frequency noise we observed was strongest at intermediate energies, in contrast to the low frequency noise seen in other Z sources. We also detected very low frequency noise, and have calculated complex cross spectra between intensity and hardness. We found that the very low frequency noise is not entirely due to motion along the Z track.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, minor improvements, accepted for publication in MNRA

Cross-spectral modelling of the black hole X-ray binary XTEJ1550-564: challenges to the propagating fluctuations paradigm

Timing properties of black hole X-ray binaries in outburst can be modeled with mass accretion rate fluctuations propagating towards the black hole. Such models predict time lags between energy bands due to propagation delays. First application of a propagating fluctuations model to black hole power spectra showed good agreement with the data. Indeed, hard lags observed from these systems appear to be in agreement with this generic prediction. Our PROPFLUC code allows to simultaneously predict power spectra, time lags, and coherence of the variability as a function of energy. This was successfully applied to Swift data on the black hole MAXIJ1659-152, fitting jointly the power spectra in two energy bands and the cross-spectrum between these two bands. In the current work, we attempt to to model two high signal to noise Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the black hole XTE J1550-564. We find that neither observation can be adequately explained by the model even when considering, additionally to previous PROPFLUC versions, different propagation speeds of the fluctuations. After extensive exploration of model extensions, we tentatively conclude that the quantitative and qualitative discrepancy between model predictions and data is generic to the propagating fluctuations paradigm. This result encourages further investigation of the fundamental hypotheses of the propagating fluctuations model. We discuss some of these hypotheses with an eye to future works.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Evolution of the hot flow of MAXI J1543-564

We present a spectral and timing analysis of the black hole candidate MAXI J1543-564 during its 2011 outburst. As shown in previous work, the source follows the standard evolution of a black hole outburst. During the rising phase of the outburst we detect an abrupt change in timing behavior associated with the occurrence of a type-B quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO). This QPO and the simultaneously detected radio emission mark the transition between hard and soft intermediate state. We fit power spectra from the rising phase of the outburst using the recently proposed model propfluc. This assumes a truncated disc / hot inner flow geometry, with mass accretion rate fluctuations propagating through a precessing inner flow. We link the propfluc physical parameters to the phenomenological multi-Lorentzian fit parameters. The physical parameter dominating the QPO frequency is the truncation radius, while broad band noise characteristics are also influenced by the radial surface density and emissivity profiles of the flow. In the outburst rise we found that the truncation radius decreases from $r_o \sim 24$ to $10 R_g$, and the surface density increases faster than the mass accretion rate, as previously reported for XTE J1550-564. Two soft intermediate state observations could not be fitted with propfluc, and we suggest that they are coincident with the ejection of material from the inner regions of the flow in a jet or accretion of these regions into the BH horizon, explaining the drop in QPO frequency and suppression of broad band variability preferentially at high energy bands coincident with a radio flare.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, 2 table

Do High Frequency QPOs Depend on Phase of Low Frequency QPOs in XTE J1550-564 ?

We have studied the dependence of the high frequency Quasi-periodic Oscillation (QPO) (~284 Hz) on the phase of the low frequency QPO (~6 Hz) in the black hole X-ray binary XTE J1550-564 in the observations of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) performed on MJD 51241. By selecting the local maxima and the local minima in the light curve on the 6 Hz QPO time scale, we have found the corresponding high frequency QPO frequencies are consistent within 1.5 sigma. However, the average central QPO frequency of the maxima and the minima is about 2.0 sigma lower than the average high frequency QPO frequency obtained in the entire observation. This marginally suggests that the high frequency QPOs probably varies in frequency on short time scales. We briefly discuss these results and their consequences.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Proceedings of the 4th Microquasar Workshop, eds. Ph Durouchoux, Y. Fuchs and J. Rodriguez, published by the Center for Space Physics: Kolkat

Are There Three Peaks in the Power Spectra of GX 339-4 and Cyg X-1?

Among the variability behaviour exhibited by neutron star systems are the so-called ``horizontal branch oscillations'' (HBO, with frequencies ~50 Hz), the ``lower-frequency kHz quasi-periodic oscillation'' (QPO) and the ``upper-frequency kHz QPO'', with the latter two features being separated in frequency by an amount comparable to, but varying slightly from, the suspected spin-frequency of the neutron star. Recently, Psaltis, Belloni, & van der Klis (1999) have suggested that there exists a correlation between these three frequencies that, when certain identifications of variability features are made, even encompasses black hole sources. We consider this hypothesis by reanalyzing a set of GX 339-4 observations. The power spectral density (PSD) constructed from a composite of 7 separate, but very similar, observations shows evidence for three broad peaks in the PSD. If the peak frequencies of these features are identified with ``QPO'', then their frequencies approximately fit the correlations suggested by Psaltis, Belloni, & van der Klis (1999). We also reanalyze a Cyg X-1 observation and show that the suggested QPO correlation may also hold, but that complications arise when the ``QPOs'' (which, in reality, are fairly broad features) are considered as a function of energy band. These fits suggest the existence of at least three separate, independent physical processes in the accretion flow, a hypothesis that is also supported by consideration of the Fourier frequency-dependent time lags and coherence function between variability in different energy bands.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, to appear in MNRA

Swift X-ray Telescope study of the Black Hole Binary MAXI J1659-152: Variability from a two component accretion flow

We present an energy dependent X-ray variability study of the 2010 outburst of the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1659-152 with the Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT). The broad-band noise components and the quasi periodic oscillations (QPO) observed in the power spectra show a strong and varied energy dependence. Combining Swift XRT data with data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, we report, for the first time, an rms spectrum (fractional rms amplitude as a function of energy) of these components in the 0.5-30 keV energy range. We find that the strength of the low-frequency component (< 0.1 Hz) decreases with energy, contrary to the higher frequency components (> 0.1 Hz) whose strengths increase with energy. In the context of the propagating fluctuations model for X-ray variability, we suggest that the low-frequency component originates in the accretion disk (which dominates emission below ~ 2 keV) and the higher frequency components are formed in the hot flow (which dominates emission above ~ 2 keV). As the properties of the QPO suggest that it may have a different driving mechanism, we investigate the Lense-Thirring precession of the hot flow as a candidate model. We also report on the QPO coherence evolution for the first time in the energy band below 2 keV. While there are strong indications that the QPO is less coherent at energies below 2 keV than above 2 keV, the coherence increases with intensity similar to what is observed at energies above 2 keV in other black-hole X-ray binaries.Comment: 12 pages, 6 Figures, 2 Tables, Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa