arXiv subjects

Arghajit Jana

Publications and source records attributed to Arghajit Jana.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Relation Between Quiescence and Outbursting Properties of GX 339-4

Galactic black hole candidate (BHC) GX~339-4 underwent several outbursting phases in the past two and a half decades at irregular intervals of $2-3$ years. Nature of these outbursts in terms of the duration, number of peaks, maximum peak intensity, etc. varies. We present a possible physical reason behind the variation of outbursts. From a physical point of view, if the supply of matter from the companion is roughly constant, the total energy release in an outburst is expected to be proportional to the quiescence period prior to the outburst when the matter is accumulated. We use archival data of RXTE/ASM from January 1996 to June 2011, and MAXI/GSC from August 2009 to July 2020 data. Initial five outbursts of GX~339-4 between 1997 and 2011 were observed by ASM and showed a good linear relation between the accumulation period and the amount of energy released in each outburst, but the outbursts after 2013 behaved quite differently. The 2013, $2017-18$, and $2018-19$ outbursts were of short duration, and incomplete or `failed' in nature. We suggest that the matter accumulated during the quiescence periods prior to these outbursts were not cleared through accretion due to lack of viscosity. The leftover matter was cleared in the immediate next outbursts. Our study thus sheds light on long term accretion dynamics in outbursting sources.

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arXiv2021

AstroSat observations of eclipsing high mass X-ray binary pulsar OAO 1657-415

We present the results obtained from analysis of two AstroSat observations of the high mass X-ray binary pulsar OAO 1657-415. The observations covered 0.681-0.818 and 0.808-0.968 phases of the $\sim$10.4 day orbital period of the system, in March and July 2019, respectively. Despite being outside the eclipsing regime, the power density spectrum from the first observation lacks any signature of pulsation or quasi-periodic oscillations. However, during July observation, X-ray pulsations at a period of 37.0375 s were clearly detected in the light curves. The pulse profiles from the second observation consist of a broad single peak with a dip-like structure in the middle across the observed energy range. We explored evolution of the pulse profile in narrow time and energy segments. We detected pulsations in the light curves obtained from 0.808--0.92 orbital phase range, which is absent in the remaining part of the observation. The spectrum of OAO 1657-415 can be described by an absorbed power-law model along with an iron fluorescent emission line and a blackbody component for out-of-eclipse phase of the observation. Our findings are discussed in the frame of stellar wind accretion and accretion wake at late orbital phases of the binary.

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arXiv2020

Detection of X-ray pulsations at the lowest observed luminosity of Be/X-ray binary pulsar EXO 2030+375 with AstroSat

We present the results obtained from timing and spectral studies of Be/X-ray binary pulsar EXO 2030+375 using observations with the Large Area Xenon Proportional Counters and Soft X-ray Telescope of AstroSat, at various phases of its Type-I outbursts in 2016, 2018, and 2020. The pulsar was faint during these observations as compared to earlier observations with other observatories. At the lowest luminosity of 2.5$\times$10$^{35}$ erg s$^{-1}$ in 0.5--30 keV energy range, $\approx$41.3 s pulsations were clearly detected in the X-ray light curves. This finding establishes the first firm detection of pulsations in EXO 2030+375 at an extremely low mass accretion rate to date. The shape of the pulse profiles is complex due to the presence of several narrow dips. Though pulsations were detected up to $\sim$80 keV when the source was brighter, pulsations were limited up to $\sim$25 keV during the third AstroSat observation at lowest source luminosity. A search for quasi-periodic oscillations in 2$\times$10$^{-4}$ Hz to 10 Hz yielded a negative result. Spectral analysis of the AstroSat data showed that the spectrum of the pulsar was steep with a power-law index of $\sim$2. The values of photon-indices at observed low luminosities follow the known pattern in sub-critical regime of the pulsar.

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arXiv2020

Probing Nuclear and Circumnuclear Properties of NGC 6300 using X-ray Observations

We present the results obtained from a detailed X-ray timing and spectral analysis of Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 6300 by using observations with the {\it Suzaku}, {\it Chandra} and {\it NuSTAR} observatories between 2007 and 2016. We calculate variance, rms fractional variability of the source in different energy bands and find variabilities in various energy bands. Spectral properties of the source are studied by using various phenomenological and physical models. The properties of the Compton clouds, reflection, Fe K$α$ line emission and soft X-ray excess are studied in detail. Several physical parameters of the source are extracted and investigated to establish the presence/absence of any correlation between them. We also investigate the nature of the circumnuclear `torus' and find that the torus is not uniform, rather clumpy. The observed changes in the line-of-sight column density can be explained in terms of transiting clouds. The iron line emitting region is found to be different in the different epoch of observations. We also observe that the torus and the nucleus independently evolve over the years.

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arXiv2020

Study of Accretion Flow Dynamics of V404 Cygni during its 2015 Outburst

The 2015 Outburst of V404 Cygni is an unusual one with several X-ray and radio flares and rapid variation in the spectral and timing properties. The outburst occurred after $26$ years of inactivity of the black hole. We study the accretion flow properties of the source during its initial phase of the outburst using {\it Swift}/XRT and {\it Swift}/BAT data in the energy range of $0.5-150$ keV. We have done spectral analysis with the two-component advective flow (TCAF) model fits file. Several flow parameters such as two types of accretion rates (Keplerian disk and sub-Keplerian halo), shock parameters (location and compression ratio) are extracted to understand the accretion flow dynamics. We calculated equipartition magnetic field $B$ for the outburst and found that the highest $B \sim 900$~Gauss. Power density spectra (PDS) showed no break, which indicates no or very less contribution of the Keplerian disk component, which is also seen from the result of the spectral analysis. No signature of prominent quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) is observed in the PDS. This is due to the mismatch of the cooling timescale and infall timescale of the post-shock matter.

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arXiv2020

Accretion Flow Evolution of a New Black Hole Candidate MAXI J1348-630 During the 2019 Outburst

Galactic black hole candidate MAXI~J1348-630 was recently discovered by {\it MAXI} and {\it Swift}/BAT satellites during its first outburst in 2019 January which continued for $\sim4$ months. We study the spectral and timing properties of the source in detail. The combined $1-150$ keV {\it Swift}/XRT, {\it Swift}/BAT and {\it MAXI}/GSC spectra are investigated with the two component advective flow (TCAF) solution. Physical flow parameters of TCAF, such as the Keplerian disk accretion rate, the sub-Keplerian halo accretion rate, the shock location and the shock compression ratio are estimated from our spectral fits. Based on the variation of flux in soft and hard X-ray ranges, the hardness ratio, TCAF model fitted accretion rates and accretion rate ratio (ARR), we show how the sources evolved through four spectral states viz. hard, hard-intermediate, soft-intermediate and soft states in rising and declining states. Low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) are observed in two observations during the rising phase of the outburst. From the spectral analysis, we estimate the mass of the black hole to be $9.1^{+1.6}_{-1.2}$ $M_{\odot}$. We also find that the viscous timescale in this outburst is $\sim 3.5$ days. The distance of the source is also estimated as $5-10$ kpc from state transition luminosity.

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arXiv2020

Accretion Flow Properties of XTE J1118+480 During Its 2005 Outburst

We study spectral and temporal properties of Galactic short orbital period transient black hole XTE J1118+480 during its 2005 outburst using archival data of RXTE PCA and HEXTE instruments in the combined energy range of $3-100$ keV. Spectral analysis with the physical two-component advective flow (TCAF) model allows us to understand the accretion flow properties of the source. We found that this outburst of XTE J1118+480 is an unconventional outburst as the source was only in the hard state (HS). Our spectral analysis suggests that during the entire outburst, the source was highly dominated by the low angular momentum sub-Keplerian halo rate. Since the source was active in radio throughout the outburst, we make an effort to estimate X-ray contribution of jets in total observed X-ray emissions from the spectral analysis with the TCAF model. The total X-ray intensity shows a similar nature of evolution as of radio and jet X-ray fluxes. This allowed us to define this `outburst' also as a jet dominated `outburst'. Total X-ray flux also found to subside when jet activity disappears. Our detailed spectral analysis also showed that although the source was only in the HS during the outburst, in the late declining phase spectrum became slightly softer due to the slow rise in the Keplerian disk rate.

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arXiv2020

Inference on Accretion Flow Properties of XTE J1752-223 During Its 2009-10 Outburst

We carry out a detailed study of the spectral and the timing properties of the stellar-mass black hole candidate XTE J1752-223 during its 2009-10 outburst using RXTE PCA data in the $2.5-25$ keV energy range. Low frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (LFQPOs) are seen in the power density spectrum (PDS). The spectral analysis is done using two types of models: one is the combined disk black body plus power-law model and the other is Transonic flow solution based Two Component Advective Flow (TCAF) model. RXTE PCA was non-operational during 2009 Nov. 16 to 2010 Jan. 18 and thus we study light curve profiles and evolution of hardness ratios using MAXI GSC and Swift BAT data. Based on the evolution of the temporal and the spectral properties of the source during its 2009-10 outburst, we find that the object evolved through the following spectral states: hard, hard-intermediate and soft-intermediate/soft. From the TCAF model fitted spectral analysis, we also estimate the probable mass of the black hole to be in the range of $8.1-11.9$ $M_\odot$, and more precisely, the mass appears to be is $10\pm{1.9}~M_\odot$.

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arXiv2019

Properties of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1118+480 with the TCAF solution during its Jet Activity Induced 2000 Outburst

Galactic black hole candidate (BHC) XTE~J1118+480 during its 2000 outburst has been studied in a broad energy range using the archival data of PCA and HEXTE payloads of {\it Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer}. Detailed spectral and temporal properties of the source are studied. Low and very low frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs), with a general trend of increasing frequency are observed during the outburst. Spectral analysis is done using the combined data of PCA and HEXTE instruments with two types of models: the well known phenomenological power-law model and the current version of the {\it fits} file of two-component advective flow (TCAF) solution as an additive table model in XSPEC. During the entire period of the outburst, a non-thermal power-law component and the TCAF model fitted sub-Keplerian halo rate were found to be highly dominant. We suggest that this so-called outburst is due to enhanced jet activity. Indeed, the `outburst' subsides when this activity disappears. We estimated X-ray fluxes coming from the base of the jet and found that the radio flux is correlated with this X-ray flux. Though the object was in the hard state in the entire episode, the spectrum becomes slightly softer with the rise in Keplerian disk rate in the late declining phase. We also estimated the probable mass of the source from our spectral analysis with the TCAF solution. Our estimated mass of XTE~J1118+480 is $6.99^{+0.50}_{-0.74}~M_\odot$ i.e., in the range of $6.25-7.49~M_\odot$.

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arXiv2019

Inference on Disk-Jet Connection of MAXI J1836-194: Analysis with the TCAF Solution

Galactic transient black hole candidate (BHC) MAXI~J1836-194 was discovered on 2011 Aug 30, by MAXI/GSC and Swift/BAT. The source activity during this outburst was continued for ~3 months before entering into the quiescent state. It again became active in March 2012 and continued for another ~2 months. In this paper, 3-25 keV RXTE/PCA spectra of 2011 outburst and 0.5-10.0 keV Swift/XRT data during its 2012 outburst are analyzed with the two-component advective flow (TCAF) model based fits file in XSPEC. We calculate the X-ray contributions coming from jets/outflow using a newly developed method based on the deviation of the TCAF model normalization. We also studied the correlation between observed radio and estimated jet X-ray fluxes. The correlation indices ($b$) are found to be $1.79$, and $0.61$, when the 7.45 GHz VLA radio flux is correlated with the total X-ray and the jet X-ray fluxes in 3-25 keV range respectively. It has been found that the jet contributes in X-rays up to a maximum of 86\% during its 2011 outburst. This makes the BHC MAXI J1836-194 to be strongly jet dominated during the initial rising phase.

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arXiv2019

Evolution of spectral and temporal properties of MAXI J1836-194 during 2011 outburst

We study transient Galatic black hole candidate MAXI~J1836-194 during its 2011 outburst using RXTE/PCA archival data. 2.5-25~keV spectra are fitted with Two Component Advective Flow (TCAF) model fits file as an additive table local model in XSPEC. From TCAF model spectral fits, physical parameters such as Keplerian disk rate, sub-Keplerian halo rate, shock location and compression ratio are extracted directly for better understanding of accretion processes around the BHC during this outburst. Low frequency quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) are observed sporadically during the entire epoch of the outburst, with a general trend of increasing frequency during rising and decreasing frequency during declining phases of the outburst, as in other transient BHCs. The nature of the variation of the accretion rate ratio (ratio of halo and disk rates) and QPOs (if observed), allows us to properly classify entire epoch of the outburst into following two spectral state, such as hard (HS), hard-intermediate (HIMS). These states are observed in the sequence of HS (Ris.) $\rightarrow$ HIMS (Ris.) $\rightarrow$ HIMS (Dec.) $\rightarrow$ HS (Dec.). This outburst of MAXI~J1836-194 could be termed as `failed' outburst, since no observation of soft (SS) and soft-intermediate (SIMS) spectral state are found during the entire outburst.

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arXiv2017

Properties of X-ray Flux of Jets During 2005 Outburst of Swift J1753.5-0127 Using TCAF Solution

Galactic black hole candidate Swift~J1753.5-0127 was discovered on 2005 June 30 by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. We study the accretion flow properties during its very first outburst through careful analysis of the evolution of the spectral and the temporal properties using the two-component advective flow (TCAF) paradigm. RXTE proportional counter array spectra in $2.5-25$ keV are fitted with the current version of the TCAF model fits file to estimate physical flow parameters, such as two component (Keplerian disk and sub-Keplerian halo) accretion rates, properties of the Compton cloud, probable mass of the source, etc. The source is found to be in harder (hard and hard-intermediate) spectral states during the entire phase of the outburst with very significant jet activity. Since in TCAF solution, the model normalization is constant for any particular source, any requirement of significantly different normalization to have a better fit on certain days would point to X-ray contribution from components not taken into account in the current TCAF model fits file. By subtracting the contribution using actual normalization, we derive the contribution of X-rays from the jets and outflows. We study its properties, such as its magnitude and spectra. We find that on some days, up to about 32\% X-ray flux is emitted from the base of the jet itself.

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arXiv2017

Accretion Flow Properties of Swift J1753.5-0127 during its 2005 outburst

Galactic X-ray binary black hole candidate Swift~J1753.5-0127 was discovered on June 30 2005 by Swift/BAT instrument. In this paper, we make detailed analysis of spectral and timing properties of its 2005 outburst using RXTE/PCA archival data. We study evolution of spectral properties of the source from spectral analysis with the additive table model {\it fits} file of the Chakrabarti-Titarchuk two-components advective flow (TCAF) solution. From spectral fit, we extract physical flow parameters, such as, Keplerian disk accretion rate, sub-Keplerian halo rate, shock location and shock compression ratio, etc. We also study the evolution of temporal properties, such as observation of low frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs), variation of X-ray intensity throughout the outburst. From the nature of the variation of QPOs, and accretion rate ratios (ARRs=ratio of halo to disk rates), we classify entire 2005 outburst into two harder (hard-intermediate and hard) spectral states. No signature of softer (soft-intermediate and soft) spectral states are seen. This may be because of significant halo rate throughout the outburst. This behavior is similar to a class of other short orbital period sources, such as, MAXI~J1836-194, MAXI~J1659-152 and XTE~J1118+480. Here, we also estimate probable mass range of the source, to be in between $4.75 M_\odot$ to $5.90 M_\odot$ based on our spectral analysis.

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arXiv2016

Accretion Flow Properties of MAXI J1543-564 During 2011 Outburst from TCAF Solution

We derive accretion flow properties of the transient black hole candidate (BHC) MAXI~J1543-564 using the RXTE data. We use Two-Component Advective Flow (TCAF) solution to fit the data of the very initial rising phase of outburst (from 2011 May 10 to 2011 May 15). $2.5-25$~keV spectra are fitted using the TCAF solution {\it fits} file as a local additive table model in XSPEC. We extract physical flow parameters such as the two component (Keplerian disk and sub-Keplerian halo) accretion rates and size and the property of the Compton cloud (post shock region close to a black hole). Similar to other classical transient BHCs, monotonic evolution of low frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are observed during the rising phase of the outburst, which is fitted with the propagating oscillatory shock (POS) model which describes how the Compton cloud properties change from day to day. From the nature of variations of TCAF model fitted physical flow parameters and QPOs, we only found hard-intermediate and soft-intermediate spectral states during this phase of the outburst under study. We also calculate frequency of the dominating QPOs from the TCAF model fitted shock parameters, and found that they roughly match with the observed and POS model fitted values. From our spectro-temporal study of the source with TCAF and POS models, the most probable mass of the BHC is found to be $12.6-14.0$~$M_\odot$, or $13^{+1.0}_{-0.4}~M_\odot$.

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arXiv2016

Estimation of Mass of the Black Hole Candidate MAXI J1659-152 using TCAF and POS Models

The Galactic transient black hole candidate (BHC) MAXI~J1659-152 exhibited temporal and spectral evolution during its very first X-ray outburst (2010) after its discovery on 25th Sept. 2010. Our recent studies of a few transient BHCs including MAXI~J1659-152 using Chakrabarti-Titarchuk two-component advective flow (TCAF) solution as an additive table local model in XSPEC revealed details of accretion flow dynamics around the black hole (BH). The TCAF model fitted normalization (N) comes out to be almost constant throughout the entire outburst consisting of several spectral states. We introduce two independent methods to determine the mass ($M_{BH}$) of the BHC, namely, {\it $i)$ keeping TCAF fitted normalization parameter in a narrow range}, and {\it $ii)$ studying evolution of the Quasi-Periodic Oscillation frequency ($ν_{QPO}$) with time, fitted with the propagating oscillatory shock (POS) model}. The predicted mass ranges of the source with these two methods are $4.7-7.8~M_\odot$, and $5.1-7.4~M_\odot$ respectively. Combining results of these two methods, we obtain a most probable mass range of the source to be $4.7-7.8~M_\odot$ or $6^{+1.8}_{-1.3}~M_\odot$.

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arXiv2016

Accretion flow dynamics of MAXI J1836-194 during its 2011 outburst from TCAF solution

The Galactic transient X-ray binary MAXI~J1836-194 was discovered on 29th August 2011. Here we make a detailed study of the spectral and timing properties of its 2011 outburst using archival data of RXTE Proportional Counter Array instrument. The evolution of accretion flow dynamics of the source during the outburst through spectral analysis with Chakrabarti-Titarchuk's two-component advective flow (TCAF) solution as a local table model in XSPEC. We also fitted spectra with combined disk blackbody and power-law models and compared it with the TCAF model fitted results. The source is found to be in hard and hard-intermediate spectral states only during entire phase of this outburst. No soft or soft-intermediate spectral states are observed. This could be due to the fact that this object belongs to a special class of sources (e.g., MAXI~J1659-152, Swift~J1753.5-0127, etc.) that have very short orbital periods and that companion is profusely mass-losing or the disk is immersed inside an excretion disk. In these cases, flows in the accretion disk is primarily dominated by low viscous sub-Keplerian flow and the Keplerian rate is not high enough to initiate softer states. Low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are observed sporadically although as in normal outbursts of transient black holes, monotonic evolutions of QPO frequency during both rising and declining phases are observed. From the TCAF fits, we find mass of the black hole in the range of $7.5-11~M_\odot$ and from time differences between peaks of the Keplerian and sub-Keplerian accretion rates we obtain viscous timescale for this particular outburst $\sim 10$~days.

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