arXiv subjects

A. N. Parmar

Publications and source records attributed to A. N. Parmar.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

The pulse phase-dependent spectrum of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1RXS J170849-400910

We report on the results of a 50ks BeppoSAX observation of 1RXS J170849-400910, one of the five (plus a candidate) known anomalous X-ray pulsars. The BeppoSAX data are consistent with a power-law plus blackbody spectral decomposition, making 1RXS J170849-400910 the fourth source of this class for which such a spectral decomposition was found. The inferred power-law slope and blackbody temperature are Gamma~2.6 and kT_BB~0.46keV, respectively. We found significant energy-dependence of the pulse profile, a remarkable feature for an AXP. By using the power-law plus blackbody decomposition we detected a significant variation in at least one spectral parameter, the power-law photon index, as a function of the pulse phase. This is the first significant detection of spectral parameter variation in an AXP. The implications of these results are briefly discussed.

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arXiv2001

BeppoSAX spectroscopy of MR 2251-178: a test for ionized reflection in radio quiet QSOs

We present the 0.1-200 keV BeppoSAX spectrum of MR 2251-178 observed at two epochs in 1998 separated by 5 months. Both epochs show identical spectral shape and X-ray flux. Analysis of the combined spectra allow us to confirm the presence of the ionized Fe K-alpha line detected by ASCA and to test the presence of reflection from ionized material. The best self-consistent spectral fit is obtained when including a contribution from a mildly ionized reflector (Xi(0.01-100) ~ 1625 erg cm s-1, i.e. U(0.1-10) ~ 0.14) with a reflection fraction R_ion ~ 0.11. An exponential cut-off to the direct power-law continuum is then required at E ~ 100 keV. The low energy spectrum is absorbed by ionized matter with a column density N_W = (8.1 (-1.2/+2.1))*10^21 cm^-2 and an X-ray ionization parameter U(0.1-10)= 0.06 +/- 0.01. The warm absorber column is slightly lower than that measured with ASCA. This change could be caused by bulk motion. The BeppoSAX absorber ionization parameter globally agrees with the ``U versus Flux'' correlation found for MR 2251-178 with EXOSAT, Ginga and ASCA. This suggests that the absorber is in a state of instantaneous ionization equilibrium.

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arXiv2001

BeppoSAX observation of the eclipsing dipping X-ray binary X1658-298

Results of a 2000 August 12-13 BeppoSAX observation of the 7.1 hr eclipsing, dipping, bursting, transient, low-mass X-ray binary (LMXRB) X1658-298 are presented. The spectrum outside of eclipses, dips and bursts can be modeled by the combination of a soft disk-blackbody and a harder Comptonized component with a small amount (1.3 10E21 atom/cm2) of low-energy absorption. In contrast, an RXTE observation 18 months earlier during the same outburst, measured an absorption of 5.0 10E22 atom/cm2. Such a change is consistent with a thinning of the accretion disk as the outburst progresses. Structured residuals from the best-fit spectral model are present which are tentatively identified with Ne-K/Fe-L and Fe-K shell emission. The spectral changes during dips are complex and may be modeled by a strong (~3 10E23 atom/cm2) increase in absorption of the Comptonized component only, together with reductions in normalizations of both spectral components. This behavior is in contrast to the ``complex continuum'' model for X-ray dip sources, where the softer blackbody component rapidly suffers strong absorption. It is however, similar to that found during recent XMM-Newton observations of the eclipsing, dipping, LMXRB EXO0748-676.

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arXiv2001

A measurement of the broad-band spectrum of XTE J1118+480 with BeppoSAX and its astrophysical implications

We report on results of a target of opportunity observation of the X-ray transient XTE J1118+480 performed on 2000 April 14-15 with the Narrow Field Instruments (0.1-200 keV) of the SAX satellite. The measured spectrum is a power law with a photon index of ~1.7 modified by an ultrasoft X-ray excess and a high-energy cutoff above ~100 keV. The soft excess is consistent with a blackbody with temperature of ~40 eV and a low flux, while the cut-off power law is well fitted by thermal Comptonization in a plasma with an electron temperature of 100 keV and an optical depth of order of unity. Consistent with the weakness of the blackbody, Compton reflection is weak. Though the data are consistent with various geometries of the hot and cold phases of the accreting gas, we conclude that a hot accretion disk is the most plausible model. The Eddington ratio implied by recent estimates of the mass and the distance is about 10^{-3}, which may indicate that advection is probably not the dominant cooling mechanism. We finally suggest that the reflecting medium has a low metallicity, consistent with location of the system in the halo.

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arXiv2001

A BeppoSAX observation of Her X-1 during the first main-on after an anomalous low-state: evidence for rapid spin-down

Results of a BeppoSAX observation of Her X-1 in 2000 October during the first main-on state after the longest recorded anomalous low-state are presented. The 0.1-30 keV spectrum, light curve and pulse profile are all consistent with those measured during previous main on-states, indicating that Her X-1 has resumed its regular 35 day cycle with similar on-state properties as before. However, from a comparison of the measured pulse period with that obtained close to the start of the anomalous low-state, it is evident that Her X-1 continued to spin-down strongly during the anomalous low-state such that the pulse period has returned to a similar value as ~15 years ago. Additionally, the occurrence time of the main-on states after the end of the anomalous low-state indicate that a change in the length, or phasing, of the 35-day cycle occurred during the anomalous low-state.

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arXiv2001

Discovery of an absorbed cluster of galaxies (XMMU J183225.4-103645) close to the Galactic plane with XMM-Newton

During an XMM-Newton observation of the galactic supernova remnant G21.5-09 a bright, previously uncatalogued, source (XMMU J183225.4-103645) was detected 18 arcmin from G21.5-09. The European Photon Imaging Camera data inside 1 arcmin (180/h_50 kpc) radius are consistent with a source at a redshift of 0.1242 [+0.0003, -0.0022] with an optically thin thermal spectrum of temperature 5.8 +- 0.6 keV and a metal abundance of 0.60 +- 0.10 solar. This model gives a 2 - 10 keV luminosity of 3.5[+0.8, -0.4]/h_50^2 10^44 erg/s. These characteristics, as well as the source extent of 2.0 arcmin (350/h_50 kpc), and the surface brightness profile are consistent with emission from the central region of a moderately rich cluster containing a cooling flow with mass flow rate of 400-600 M_Sun/yr. The absorption is 7.9 +- 0.5 10^22 atom/cm^2, 5 times that inferred from low-resolution HI data but consistent with higher spatial resolution infrared dust extinction estimates. XMMU J183225.4-103645 is not visible in earlier ROSAT observations due to high amount of absorption. This discovery demonstrates the capability of XMM-Newton to map the cluster distribution close to the Galactic plane, where few such systems are known. The ability of XMM-Newton to determine cluster redshifts to 1% precision at z = 0.1 is especially important in optically crowded and absorbed fields such as close to the Galactic plane, where the optical redshift measurements of galaxies are difficult.

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arXiv2001

X-ray emission from the giant molecular clouds in the Galactic Center region and the discovery of new X-ray sources

We report the results of X-ray (2-10 keV) observations of the giant molecular clouds SgrB, SgrC and SgrD in the Galactic Center region, together with the discovery of the point-like source SAXJ1748.2-2808. The data have been obtained with the MECS instrument on the BeppoSAX satellite. The core of SgrB2 has an X-ray luminosity of 6x10^34 erg/s and its spectrum is characterized by a strong Fe emission line at 6.5 keV with an equivalent width of 2 keV. Faint diffuse X-ray emission is detected from SgrC and from the SNR G1.05-0.15 (SgrD). A new, unresolved source with a strong Fe line has been discovered in the SgrD region. This source, SAXJ1748.2-2808, is probably associated with a SiO and OH maser source at the Galactic Center distance. If so, its luminosity is 10^34 erg/s. We propose that the X-ray emission from SAX J1748.2-2808 is produced either by protostars or by a giant molecular cloud core. Emission from sources similar to SAX J1748.2-2808 could have an impact on the expected contribution on the observed Fe line emission from the Galactic ridge.

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arXiv2001

A BeppoSAX view of transient black hole candidates in quiescence

We report on BeppoSAX observations of five transient black hole candidates during their quiescent phase. We confirm these sources are X-ray faint, improving on and complementing existing upper limits. We derive 1-10 keV upper limits for GRO J0422+32, GRS 1009-45, 4U 1630-47 and XTE J1748-288, which range from 2x10^32 erg/s to 5x10^34 erg/s. We positively detect GS 2023+338. Its X-ray spectrum can be fit by a power law (photon index Gamma=1.9) or a thermal bremsstrahlung (with kT= 7$ keV), converting in both cases to a 1-10 keV unabsorbed luminosity of ~10^33 erg/s. These values are comparable to the ones derived during an ASCA observation in 1994, indicating that the source remains stable over a ~5 yr baseline.

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arXiv2001

Temperature and total mass profiles of the A3571 cluster of galaxies

We present BeppoSAX results of a spatially resolved spectral analysis of A3571, a relaxed nearby cluster of galaxies. In the central 2' (130/h_50 kpc) radius the metal abundance is 0.49 +- 0.08 solar and the absorption (1.13 +-0.28) x 10^21 atom/cm^2 whereas elsewhere within an 8'(520/h_50 kpc) radius the abundance is 0.32 \+- 0.05 solar and the absorption consistent with the galactic value of 4.4 x 10^20 atom/cm2. The significant central metal abundance enhancement is consistent with the supernova enrichment scenario. The excess absorption may be attributed to the cooling flow, whose mass flow rate is 80 +- 40 M_Sun/yr from our spectral fit. The BeppoSAX and ASCA radial temperature profiles agree over the entire overlapping radial range r < 25' = 1.6/h_50 Mpc. The combined BeppoSAX and ASCA temperature profile exhibits a constant value out to a radius of 10' (650/h_50 kpc) and a significant decrease (T propto r^-0.55, corresponding to gamma=1.28) at larger radii. These temperature data are used to derive the total mass profile. The best fit NFW dark matter density model results in a temperature profile that is not convectively stable, but the model is acceptable within the uncertainties of the data. The temperature profile is acceptably modeled with a ``core'' model for the dark matter density, consisting of a core radius with a constant slope at larger radii. With this model the total mass and formal 90% confidence errors within the virial radius r_178 (2.5/h_50 Mpc) are 9.1+3.6-1.5 x 10^14 h_50^-1 M_Sun, by a factor of 1.4 smaller than the isothermal value. The gas mass fraction increases with radius, reaching f_gas(r_178) = 0.26+0.05-0.10 x h_50^-3/2. Assuming that the measured gas mass fraction is the lower limit to the primordial baryonic fraction gives Omega_m < 0.4 at 90% confidence.

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arXiv2001

BeppoSAX spectroscopy of the luminous X-ray sources in M33

The nearby galaxy M33 was observed by the imaging X-ray instruments on-board BeppoSAX. Two observations at different phases of the 105.9 day intensity cycle of the luminous central source X-8 failed to reveal the expected modulation, suggesting that it is probably transitory. Similar behavior has been observed from several X-ray binary sources. This strengthens somewhat the idea that M33 X-8 is a black hole accreting from a binary companion. The 0.2-10 keV spectrum of M33 X-8 can best be modeled by an absorbed power-law with a photon index of 1.89 +0.40 -0.79 and a disk-blackbody with a temperature, kT, of 1.10 +/0 0.05 keV and a projected inner-disk radius of 55.4 +6.0 -7.7 km. This spectral shape is in good agreement with earlier ASCA results. The 2-10 keV spectra of M33 X-4, X-5, X-7, X-9 and X-10 are all consistent with power-law or bremsstrahlung models, whilst that of X-6 appears to be significantly more complex and may be reasonably well modeled with a disk-blackbody with kT = 1.7 +/- 0.2 keV and a projected inner-disk radius of 7 +/- 2 km. The spectrum of M33 X-9 is rather hard with a photon index of 1.3. Compared to earlier Einstein and ROSAT observations, M33 X-7 and X-9 varied in intensity, M33 X-4, X-6, and X-10 may have varied and M33 X-5 remained constant.

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arXiv2000

BeppoSAX study of the broad-band properties of luminous globular cluster X-ray sources

We have performed a detailed study of the broadband spectra of the luminous globular cluster X-ray sources using BeppoSAX. With the exception of X2127+119, located in NGC7078, all the other spectra are well represented by a two component model consisting of a disk-blackbody and Comptonized emission. The measured low-energy absorptions are in good agreement with those predicted from optical measurements of the host globular clusters. This implies that there is little intrinsic X-ray absorption within the binaries themselves, and that the above spectral model provides a good representation of the low-energy continua. The sources can be divided into two groups. In the first group, composed of 3 ultra-compact (orbital period <1hr) sources, the disk-blackbody temperatures and inner-radii appear physically realistic and the Comptonization seed photons temperatures and radii of the emission areas are consistent with the disk temperatures and inner radii. For all the other sources, the disk-blackbody parameters appear not to be physically realistic and the Comptonization parameters are unrelated to those of the disk-blackbody emission. If this is a spectral signature of ultra-compact binaries, this implies that no other ultra-compact binaries are present among those studied here. It is unclear why this difference between the two types of binaries should exist.

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arXiv2000

X-ray emission in the direction of the SNR G318.2+0.1

We report the discovery of three X-ray sources within the radio shell G318.2+0.1, one of which may be extended. Two of the sources were detected during the \sax Galactic Plane Survey and one was found in archival \ros data. The fainter \sax source is coincident with an ultra-compact galactic H {\sc ii} region, and we discuss the possibility that it can be a flaring young stellar object, while the other \sax source has no obvious counterpart. The PSPC source is consistent with emission from a foreground star. The hard spectrum of the brighter \sax source is consistent with a non-thermal origin, although a thermal nature cannot be formally excluded. If this source is associated with G318.2+0.1, then its hard spectrum suggests that it may be site of non-thermal electron acceleration.

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arXiv2000

The recent history of the X-ray absorber in NGC3516

We present two BeppoSAX observations of the bright Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC3516, performed four months apart (late 1996/early 1997). The earlier spectrum is considerably weaker and harder in the whole 0.1-50 keV energy range. In addition, the warm absorber oxygen features, which were already observed with ROSAT (Mathur et al. 1997) and ASCA (Kriss et al. 1996), are much less pronounced. The most straightforward explanation is that in 1996 November NGC3516 was being seen through a substantial (N_H ~ 10^22 atoms/cm/cm) column of cold material. This is the first confirmation with modern instrumentation that NGC3516 indeed undergoes phases of strong cold X-ray absorption. We speculate that these intervals may be connected to the onset of the remarkably variable UV absorption system, making NGC3516 the best known example of low-luminosity Broad Absorption Line (BAL) quasar. The absorbing matter could be provided by clouds ablated from the rim of the circumnuclear molecular torus, seen at a rather high inclination angle.

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arXiv2000

The Discovery of a State Dependent Hard Tail in the X-ray Spectrum of the Luminous Z-source GX 17+2

We report results of a BeppoSAX (0.1-200 keV) observation of the Z-type low mass X-ray binary GX 17+2. The source was on the so-called Horizontal and Normal branches. Energy spectra were selected based on the source position in the X-ray hardness-intensity diagram. The continuum could be fairly well described by the sum of a ~0.6 keV blackbody, contributing ~10% of the observed 0.1-200 keV flux, and a Comptonized component, resulting from upscattering of \~1 keV seed photons by an electron cloud with temperature of ~3 keV and optical depth of ~10. Iron K-line and edge were also present at energies 6.7 and 8.5 keV, respectively. In the spectra of the Horizontal branch a hard tail was clearly detected at energies above ~30 keV. It could be fit by a power law of photon index ~2.7, contributing ~8% of the source flux. This component gradually faded as the source moved towards the Normal branch, where it was no longer detectable. We discuss the possible origin of this component and the similarities with the spectra of Atoll sources and black hole X-ray binaries.

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arXiv2000

Broad band spectrum of Cygnus X-1 in two spectral states with BeppoSAX

We report on the 0.5--200 keV spectral properties of Cyg X-1 observed at different epochs with the Narrow Field Instruments of the BeppoSAX satellite. The source was in its soft state during the first observation of 1996 June. In the second observation of 1996 September, the source had parameters characteristic to its hard state. A soft X-ray excess, a broad Fe K$α$ line and Compton reflection are clearly detected in both states. The soft-state broad-band continuum is well modeled by a disk blackbody (accounting for the soft excess) and Compton upscattering of the disk photons by a hybrid, thermal/non-thermal, plasma, probably forming a corona above the disk (also giving rise to the Compton-reflection component). In the hard state, the primary hard X-ray spectrum can be well modeled by Compton upscattering of a weak blackbody emission by a thermal plasma at a temperature of $\sim 60$ keV. The soft excess is then explained by thermal Comptonization of the same blackbody emission by another hot plasma cloud characterized by a low value of its Compton parameter. Finally, we find the characteristic ratio of the bolometric flux in the soft state to that in the hard state to be about 3. This value is much more compatible with theories of state transitions than the previously reported (and likely underestimated) value of 1.5.

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arXiv2000

Hard X-rays from Type II bursts of the Rapid Burster and its transition toward quiescence

We report on 4 BeppoSAX Target Of Opportunity observations of MXB 1730-335, the Rapid Burster (RB), made during the 1998 February-March outburst. In the first observation, approximately 20 days after the outburst peak, the X-ray light curve showed Type II bursts at a rate of 43 per hour. Nine days later, during the second BeppoSAX pointing, only 5 Type II bursts were detected at the beginning of the observation. During the third pointing no X-ray bursts were detected and in the fourth and final observation the RB was not detected at all. Persistent emission from the RB was detected up to 10 keV during the first three pointings. The spectra of the persistent and bursting emissions below 10 keV were best fit with a model consisting of two blackbodies. An additional component (a power law) was needed to describe the 1-100 keV bursting spectrum when the persistent emission was subtracted. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of the RB beyond 20 keV. We discuss the evolution of the spectral parameters for the bursting and persistent emission during the outburst decay. The light curve, after the second BeppoSAX pointing, showed a steepening of the previous decay trend, and a sharper decay rate leading to quiescence was observed with BeppoSAX in the two subsequent observations. We interpret this behaviour as caused by the onset of the propeller effect. Finally, we infer a neutron star magnetic field B ~ 4 10^8 Gauss.

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arXiv2000

Comptonization in X-ray bright neutron star globular cluster systems

A BeppoSAX survey of bright Neutron Star (NS) systems in globular clusters, together with the results obtained on Galactic LMXRB, suggests that a two-component model is a reasonable description of the 0.1-200 keV spectra. At energies lower than a few keV, a thermal component dominates, either due to the direct view of the NS surface, to the emission of the boundary layer, or to a multi-temperature blackbody originating in the accretion disk. At higher energies, a power-law with an high-energy cutoff is the likely signature of thermal Comptonization of soft X-ray photons, probably produced by the same thermal mechanisms as above. The plasma optical depth (electron temperature) correlates (anticorrelates) with the X-ray luminosity, suggesting that the properties of the Comptonizing plasma are driven by the X-ray energy output.

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arXiv2000

Discovery of hard X-ray emission from Type II bursts of the Rapid Burster

We report on results of BeppoSAX Target Of Opportunity (TOO) observations of the source MXB 1730-335, also called the Rapid Burster (RB), made during its outburst of February-March 1998. We monitored the evolution of the spectral properties of the RB from the outburst decay to quiescence. During the first TOO, the X-ray light curve of the RB showed many Type II bursts and its broadband (1-100 keV) spectrum was acceptably fit with a two blackbody plus power law model. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is the first time that this source is detected beyond 30 keV.

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