Gamma-Ray Spectral States of Galactic Black Hole Candidates

Abstract

OSSE has observed seven transient black hole candidates: GRO J0422+32, GX339-4, GRS 1716-249, GRS 1009-45, 4U 1543-47, GRO J1655-40, and GRS 1915+105. Two gamma-ray spectral states are evident and, based on a limited number of contemporaneous X-ray and gamma-ray observations, these states appear to be correlated with X-ray states. The former three objects show hard spectra below 100 keV (photon number indices Gamma < 2) that are exponentially cut off with folding energy ~100 keV, a spectral form that is consistent with thermal Comptonization. This "breaking gamma-ray state" is the high-energy extension of the X-ray low, hard state. In this state, the majority of the luminosity is above the X-ray band, carried by photons of energy ~100 keV. The latter four objects exhibit a "power-law gamma-ray state" with a relatively soft spectral index (Gamma ~ 2.5-3) and no evidence for a spectral break. For GRO J1655-40, the lower limit on the break energy is 690 keV. GRS 1716-249 exhibits both spectral states, with the power-law state having significantly lower gamma-ray luminosity. The power-law gamma-ray state is associated with the presence of a strong ultrasoft X-ray excess (kT ~ 1 keV), the signature of the X-ray high, soft (or perhaps very high) state. The physical process responsible for the unbroken power law is not well understood, although the spectra are consistent with bulk-motion Comptonization in the convergent accretion flow.