1,036 research outputs found
X-ray power law spectra in active galactic nuclei
X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are usually described as power
law spectra, characterized by the spectral slope or photon index
. Here we discuss the X-ray spectral properties within the framework of
clumpy accretion flows, and estimate the power law slope as a function of the
source parameters. We expect harder spectra in massive objects than in less
massive sources, and steeper spectra in higher accretion rate systems. The
predicted values of the photon index cover the range of spectral slopes
typically observed in Seyfert galaxies and quasars. The overall trends are
consistent with observations, and may account for the positive correlation of
the photon index with Eddington ratio (and the possible anticorrelation with
black hole mass) observed in different AGN samples. Spectral properties are
also closely related to variability properties. We obtain that shorter
characteristic time scales are associated with steeper spectra. This agrees
with the observed `spectral-timing' correlation.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, Astronomy and Astrophysics, accepte
X-ray-binary spectra in the lamp post model
[Abridged] Context. The high-energy radiation from black-hole binaries may be
due to the reprocessing of a lamp located on the black hole axis, emitting
X-rays. The observed spectrum is made of 3 components: the direct spectrum; the
thermal bump; and the reflected spectrum made of the Compton hump and the
iron-line complex.
Aims. We aim at computing accurately the complete reprocessed spectrum
(thermal bump + reflected) of black-hole binaries over the entire X-ray band.
We also determine the strength of the direct component. Our choice of
parameters is adapted to a source showing an important thermal component.
Methods. We compute in full GR the illumination of a thin disk by a lamp
along the rotation axis. We use the ATM21 radiative transfer code to compute
the spectrum emitted along the disk. We ray trace this local spectrum to
determine the reprocessed spectrum as observed at infinity. We discuss the
dependence of the local and ray-traced spectra on the emission angle and spin.
Results. We show the importance of the angle dependence of the total disk
specific intensity spectrum emitted by the illuminated atmosphere when the
thermal disk emission if fully taken into account. High spin implies high
temperature in the inner regions, so the emitted thermal disk spectrum covers
the iron-line complex. As a result we locally observe absorption lines produced
in the hot disk atmosphere. Absorption lines are narrow and disappear after ray
tracing the local spectrum.
Conclusions. Our results mainly highlight the importance of considering the
angle dependence of the local spectrum when computing reprocessed spectra, as
was already found in a recent study. The main new result of our work is to show
the importance of computing the thermal bump of the spectrum, as this feature
can change considerably the observed iron-line complex.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted in A&A; 2 paragraphs added in section
2 wrt version
The emission of Cygnus X-1: observations with INTEGRAL SPI from 20 keV to 2 MeV
We report on Cyg X-1 observations performed by the SPI telescope onboard the
INTEGRAL mission and distributed over more than 6 years. We investigate the
variability of the intensity and spectral shape of this peculiar source in the
hard X-rays domain, and more particularly up to the MeV region. We first study
the total averaged spectrum which presents the best signal to noise ratio (4 Ms
of data). Then, we refine our results by building mean spectra by periods and
gathering those of similar hardness.
Several spectral shapes are observed with important changes in the curvature
between 20 and 200 keV, even at the same luminosity level. In all cases, the
emission decreases sharply above 700 keV, with flux values above 1 MeV (or
upper limits) well below the recently reported polarised flux (Laurent et al.
2011), while compatible with the MeV emission detected some years ago by
CGRO/COMPTEL (McConnell et al., 2002).
Finally, we take advantage of the spectroscopic capability of the instrument
to seek for spectral features in the 500 keV region with negative results for
any significant annihilation emission on 2 ks and days timescales, as well as
in the total dataset.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
IBIS preliminary results on Cygnus X-1 spectral and temporal characteristics
We report preliminary results of a broadband spectral and temporal study of
the black-hole binary Cyg X-1 performed with the IBIS telescope. Cyg X-1 was
the first pointed celestial target of IBIS during the INTEGRAL Performance and
Verification Phase, 2002 Nov.-Dec., for a total observing time of 2 Ms in both
staring and dithering mode. Here, we report on only the staring, on-axis,
observation performed in a stable instrument configuration. During the
observing period the source was in its characteristic low/hard state, in which
a few flares and dips have been detected. The IBIS/ISGRI results demonstrate
that the INTEGRAL observatory offers a unique capability for studying
correlations between hardness and/or flux in different bands over a wide photon
energy range. One of our new results is finding that the hardness-flux
correlation changes the sign twice over the 20-220 keV; first from positive to
negative at 50 keV, and then back to positive at 120 keV. The former change
appears to be due to the spectral curvature introduced by variable Compton
reflection. The latter may be due spectral pivoting.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures (4 in color), accepted for publication in A&A,
INTEGRAL special issu
Observations of Seyferts by OSSE and parameters of their X-ray/gamma-ray sources
We present a summary of spectra of Seyfert galaxies observed by the OSSE
detector aboard Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. We obtain average spectra of
Seyferts of type 1 and 2, and find they are well fitted by thermal
Comptonization. We present detailed parameter ranges for the plasma temperature
and the Compton parameter in the case of spherical and slab geometries. We find
both the average and individual OSSE spectra of Seyfert 2s are significantly
harder than those of Seyfert 1s, which difference can be due to anisotropy of
Compton reflection and/or Thomson-thick absorption.Comment: ApJ, 10 Nov. 2000, in press, 13 page
Radiation mechanisms and geometry of Cygnus X-1 in the soft state
We present X-ray/gamma-ray spectra of Cyg X-1 observed during the transition
from the hard to the soft state and in the soft state by ASCA, RXTE and OSSE in
1996 May and June. The spectra consist of a dominant soft component below ~2
keV and a power-law-like continuum extending to at least ~800 keV. We interpret
them as emission from an optically-thick, cold accretion disc and from an
optically-thin, non-thermal corona above the disc. A fraction f ~ 0.6 of total
available power is dissipated in the corona. We model the soft component by
multi-colour blackbody disc emission taking into account the torque-free
inner-boundary condition. If the disc extends down to the minimum stable orbit,
the ASCA/RXTE data yield the most probable black hole mass of about 10 solar
masses and an accretion rate about 0.5 L_E/c^2, locating Cyg X-1 in the soft
state in the upper part of the stable, gas-pressure dominated, accretion-disc
solution branch. The spectrum of the corona is well modelled by repeated
Compton scattering of seed photons from the disc off electrons with a hybrid,
thermal/non-thermal distribution. The electron distribution can be
characterized by a Maxwellian with an equilibrium temperature of kT ~ 30--50
keV and a Thomson optical depth of ~0.3 and a quasi-power-law tail. The
compactness of the corona is between 2 and 7, and a presence of a significant
population of electron-positron pairs is ruled out. We find strong signatures
of Compton reflection from a cold and ionized medium, presumably an accretion
disc, with an apparent reflector solid angle ~0.5--0.7. The reflected continuum
is accompanied by a broad iron K-alpha line.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, 2 landscape tables in a separate file. Accepted
to MNRA
A New Equilibrium for Accretion Disks Around Black Holes
Accretion disks around black holes in which the shear stress is proportional
to the total pressure, the accretion rate is more than a small fraction of
Eddington, and the matter is distributed smoothly are both thermally and
viscously unstable in their inner portions. The nonlinear endstate of these
instabilities is uncertain. Here a new inhomogeneous equilibrium is proposed
which is both thermally and viscously stable. In this equilibrium the majority
of the mass is in dense clumps, while a minority reaches temperatures K. The requirements of dynamical and thermal equilibrium completely
determine the parameters of this system, and these are found to be in good
agreement with the parameters derived from observations of accreting black
holes, both in active galactic nuclei and in stellar binary systems.Comment: AAS LaTeX, accepted to Ap. J. Letter
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