A solution to the puzzling symbiotic X-ray system 4U 1700+24

A circumstellar corona is proposed to explain a strange quark-cluster star during an accretion phase, which could be essential for understanding the observa- tions of the puzzling symbiotic X-ray system 4U 1700＋24. The state of cold matter at supranuclear density is still an important matter of debate, and one of the con- sequences of a strange star acting as a pulsar is the self-bound phenomenon on the surface, which makes extremely low-mass compact objects unavoidable. In principle, both the redshifted O VIII Ly-c~ emission line and the change in the blackbody radi- ation area could naturally be understood if 4U 1700＋24 is a low-mass quark-cluster star which exhibits wind accretion.

Hard X-ray emission cutoff in the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61 detected by INTEGRAL

The anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142＋61 has been studied with obser- vations from INTEGRAL. The hard X-ray spectrum in the range 18-500 keV for 4U 0142＋61 was derived using nearly nine years of INTEGRAL/IBIS data. We ob- tained the average hard X-ray spectrum of 4U 0142＋61 with all available data. The spectrum of 4U 0142＋61 can be fitted with a power law that includes an exponen- tial high energy cutoff. This average spectrum is well fitted by a power law with r ,~ 0.51 ± 0.11 plus a cutoff energy at 128.6 ± 17.2 keV. The hard X-ray flux of the source from 20-150 keV showed no significant variations （within 20%） from 2003- 2011. The spectral profiles have some variability over the nine years such that the photon index varies from 0.3-1.5 and the cutoff energies from 110-250 keV. The de- tection of the high energy cutoff around 130 keV shows some constraints on the radia- tion mechanisms of magnetars and possibly probes the differences between magnetar and accretion models for this special class of neutron stars. Future HXMTobservations could provide stronger constraints on the hard X-ray spectral properties of this source and other magnetar candidates.

Power spectral properties of the soft spectral states in four black hole transients

The X-ray variability in the soft X-ray spectral state of black hole binaries is primarily characterized by a power-law noise(PLN), which is thought to originate from the propagation of the modulation in the mass accretion rate of a standard accretion disk flow. Such a PLN has also been revealed in the disk spectral component in the hard and the intermediate states in several black hole binaries. Here we present an investigation of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer(RXTE) observations of four black hole transients in which soft spectral states were observed twenty times or more. We show that in the soft spectral state, the PLN index varied in a large range between –1.64 and –0.62, and the fractional rms variability calculated in the 0.01 – 20 Hz frequency range reached as large as 7.67% and as low as 0.83%. Remarkably,we have found evidence of an inclination dependence of the maximal fractional rms variability, the averaged fractional rms variability and the fractional rms variability of the median in the sample based on current knowledge of inclination of black hole binaries. An inclination dependence has only been predicted in early magnetohydrodynamic simulations of isothermal disks limited to a high-frequency regime. In theory,the noise index is related to the physics of inward propagation of disk fluctuations, while the fractional rms amplitude reflects the intrinsic properties of the magnetohydrodynamic nature of the accretion flow.Our results therefore suggest that X-ray variability in the soft state can be used to put constraints on the properties of the accretion flow as well as the inclination of the accretion disk.

Systematic analysis of low/hard state RXTE spectra of GX 339–4 to constrain the geometry of the system

One of the popular models for the low/hard state of black hole binaries is that the standard accretion disk is truncated and the hot inner region produces, via Comptonization, hard X-ray flux.This is supported by the value of the high energy photon index, which is often found to be small,～ 1.7（〈 2）, implying that the hot medium is starved of seed photons. On the other hand, the suggestive presence of a broad relativistic Fe line during the hard state would suggest that the accretion disk is not truncated but extends all the way to the innermost stable circular orbit. In such a case, it is a puzzle why the hot medium would remain photon starved. The broad Fe line should be accompanied by a broad smeared reflection hump at ～ 30 ke V and it may be that this additional component makes the spectrum hard and the intrinsic photon index is larger, i.e. 〉2. This would mean that the medium is not photon deficient, reconciling the presence of a broad Fe line in the observed hard state. To test this hypothesis,we have analyzed the RXTE observations of GX 339–4 from the four outbursts during 2002–2011 and identify observations when the system was in the hard state and showed a broad Fe line. We have then attempted to fit these observations with models, which include smeared reflection, to understand whether the intrinsic photon index can indeed be large. We find that, while for some observations the inclusion of reflection does increase the photon index, there are hard state observations with a broad Fe line that have photon indices less than 2.

Detection of Quasi-periodic Oscillations in SGR 150228213

The detection of quasi-periodic oscillations(QPOs)in magnetar giant flares(GFs)has brought a new perspective to studies of the mechanism of magnetar bursts.Due to the scarcity of GFs,searching for QPOs in magnetar short bursts is reasonable.Here we report the detection of a narrow QPO at approximately 110 Hz and a wide QPO at approximately 60 Hz in the short magnetar burst SGR 150228213,with a confidence level of 3.35σ.This burst was initially attributed to 4U 0142+61 by Fermi/GBM on location,but we have not detected such QPOs in other bursts from this magnetar.We also found that there was a repeating fast radio burst associated with SGR 150228213 on location.Finally,we discuss the possible origins of SGR 150228213.

Simultaneous observations of a pair of kilohertz QPOs and a plausible 1860Hz QPO from an accreting neutron star system

We report an indication （3.22 or） of ≈ 1860 Hz quasi-periodic oscillations from a neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1636-536. If confirmed, this will be by far the highest frequency feature observed from an accreting neutron star system, and hence could be very useful in understanding such systems. This plausible timing feature was observed simultaneously with lower （≈ 585 Hz） and upper （≈ 904 Hz） kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations. The two kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillation frequencies had a ratio of ≈ 1.5, and the frequency of the alleged ≈ 1860 Hz feature was close to the triple and the double values of these frequencies. This can be useful for constraining the models of all the three features. In particular, the ≈ 1860Hz feature could be （1） from a new and heretofore unknown class of quasi-periodic oscillations, or （2） the first observed overtone of lower or upper kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations. Finally, we note that, although the relatively low significance of the ≈ 1860 Hz feature argues for caution, even a 3.22 σ feature at such a uniquely high frequency should be interesting enough to spur a systematic search in the archival data, as well as to scientifically motivate sufficiently large timing instruments for the next generation X-ray missions.

Flaring activity from quiescent states in neutron-star X-ray binaries

We examine systematically the observed X-ray luminosity jumps(or flares) from quiescent states in millisecond binary pulsars(MSBPs) and high-mass X-ray binary pulsars(HMXBPs). We rely on the published X-ray light curves of seven pulsars: four HMXBPs, two MSBPs and the ultraluminous X-ray pulsar M82 X-2. We discuss the physics of their flaring activities or lack thereof, paying special attention to their emission properties when they are found on the propeller line, inside the Corbet gap or near the light-cylinder barrier. We provide guiding principles for future interpretations of faint X-ray observations, as well as a method of constraining the propeller lines and the dipolar surface magnetic fields of pulsars using a variety of quiescent states. In the process, we clarify some disturbing inaccuracies that have made their way into the published literature.

The correlation timescale of the X-ray flux during the outbursts of soft X-ray transients

Recent studies of black hole and neutron star low mass X-ray binaries(LMXBs) show a positive correlation between the X-ray flux at which the low/hard(LH)-to-high/soft(HS) state transition occurs and the peak flux of the following HS state.By analyzing the data from the All Sky Monitor(ASM) onboard the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer(RXTE),we show that the HS state flux after the source reaches its HS flux peak still correlates with the transition flux during soft X-ray transient(SXT) outbursts.By studying large outbursts or flares of GX 339-4,Aql X-1 and 4U 1705-44,we have found that the correlation holds up to 250,40,and 50 d after the LH-to-HS state transition,respectively.These time scales correspond to the viscous time scale in a standard accretion disk around a stellar mass black hole or a neutron star at a radius of-104-5 Rg,indicating that the mass accretion rates in the accretion flow either correlate over a large range of radii at a given time or correlate over a long period of time at a given radius.If the accretion geometry is a two-flow geometry composed of a sub-Keplerian inflow or outflow and a disk flow in the LH state,the disk flow with a radius up to-105 Rg would have contributed to the nearly instantaneous non-thermal radiation directly or indirectly,and therefore affects the time when the state transition occurs.