We report the detection of a fully-resolved, Compton-scattered emission line
in the X-ray spectrum of the massive binary GX 301-2 obtained with the High
Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer onboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
The iron K-alpha fluorescence line complex observed in this system consists of
an intense narrow component centered at an energy of E = 6.40 keV and a redward
shoulder that extends down to ~6.24 keV, which corresponds to an energy shift
of a Compton back-scattered iron K-alpha photon. From detailed Monte Carlo
simulations and comparisons with the observed spectra, we are able to directly
constrain the physical properties of the scattering medium, including the
electron temperature and column density, as well as an estimate for the metal
abundance.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in ApJ Lette