On the nature of the X-ray source in GK Per

Abstract

We report XMM-Newton observations of the intermediate polar (IP) GK Per on the rise to the 2002 outburst and compare them to Chandra observations during quiescence. We find an asymmetric spin light curve implying an asymmetric shape of a semi-transparent accretion curtain. A low Fe xvii (15.01/15.26 A) line flux ratio confirms the need for an asymmetric geometry and significant effects of resonant line scattering. Medium resolution spectra in outburst and quiescence are both fitted with a leaky absorber model for the post shock hard X-ray emission, a black body (outburst) for the thermalized X-ray emission from the white dwarf and an optically thin spectrum. The difference between high and low spin as well as QPO/flares states can be explained by a variation in the absorbing column density. The Fe fluorescence at 6.4 keV (equivalent width of 447 eV) is not significantly variable during spin cycle or on QPO periods. High-resolution RGS spectra reveal a number of emission lines from H-like and He-like elements. The lines are broader than the instrumental response with a roughly constant velocity dispersion for different lines, indicating identical origin. He-like emission lines are used to give values for the electron densities of log n_e ~ 12. We do not detect any variation in the emission lines during the spin cycle, implying that the lines are not noticeably obscured or absorbed. We conclude that they originate in the accretion curtains and propose a model for their shape.Comment: 14 pages, 22 figures, accepted by A&A; text re quiescent data changed slightly, references adde