arXiv subjects

Elisa Costantini

Publications and source records attributed to Elisa Costantini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

X-ray grating spectroscopy as a mission enhancement

We propose to add instruments to any potential future X-ray mission with focussing optics that is considered in NASA's ASTRA framework. Such an instrument is a necessity to study AGN wind outflows and feedback, find the missing baryons, study the intergalactic medium, and analyze abundances and chemical bonds in dust grains throughout the Milky Way. We conclude that those science goals can be achieved with a spectral resolving power > 3000 in the soft X-ray band (about 10-40 Ang) and an effective area a few times larger than current instruments. We describe a possible mission implementation for a soft X-ray grating spectrometer that can be folded in and out or be mounted permanently in the beam. Such an instrument can reach the requirements for a wide variety of host mission properties. A small UV imager and a UV spectrograph can be mounted on the same platform with independent optics. These added instruments vastly enhance the science capabilities of the host mission for a modest cost (100-200 million $) and with weight and power needs that can be easily accommodated in any major mission.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

EXPO: a quantum leap in fast, wide-band X-ray polarimetry for astrophysics

The Enhanced X-ray Polarimetry Observatory (EXPO) is a mission concept proposed to ESA as an M8 candidate, with a prospective launch in 2041. Building on the scientific success of IXPE, EXPO is designed to overcome its two main limitations, the narrow 2-8 keV energy band and the very slow repointing time, and to enable new scientific capabilities. A wide energy band and fast repointing are essential for investigating the hard X-ray emission of magnetars and black-hole binaries, particle acceleration in supernova remnants and pulsar-wind nebulae, radiative transfer in highly magnetized plasmas, X-ray reflection in accretion flows and active galactic nuclei, and the prompt and afterglow emission of gamma-ray bursts and magnetar flares. EXPO comprises five focusing X-ray telescopes and gas photoelectric polarimeters based on the Timepix ASIC family with InGrid amplification, enabling three-dimensional track imaging and operation in the 2-35 keV band through optimized low- and medium-energy detector configurations. The mirror modules use proven electroformed nickel technology with Au-C coatings and an XMM-like focal length of 7.5 m. The polarimeters are complemented by a coded-mask Wide Field Instrument (WFI), derived from SVOM/ECLAIRs for continuous monitoring of a 2 sr field of view; a Spectral Imaging Camera (SIC), based on stacked CMOS and CdTe detectors for broadband imaging spectroscopy and accurate spectro-polarimetric decomposition; and an Instrument Control Unit (ICU) for payload management, onboard WFI image reconstruction, transient identification, and autonomous spacecraft repointing requests. These capabilities extend X-ray polarimetry into the hard X-ray domain and open a new observational window on fast transients, time-domain astrophysics, and multi-messenger astronomy.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

Investigation of Calcium Dust in the Interstellar Medium

Calcium is a highly depleted element in the interstellar medium (ISM), however its composition in the solid phase remains elusive. The detection of Ca-bearing dust has been limited due to its lack of distinct spectral features in the cold phase of the diffuse ISM. X-rays provide a direct method for exploring the absorption and scattering properties of interstellar dust. In this study, we utilize high-resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize Ca-bearing dust analogs at the Ca K-edge using X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS). We present new X-ray absorption spectra of seven calcium-bearing interstellar dust analogs measured at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) in Taiwan. The extinction cross sections, calculated from the laboratory measurements are incorporated in the dust absorption model AMOL of the X-ray spectral fitting tool SPEX. We select three Low Mass X-ray Binaries (LMXBs) with high column densities, GX 340+00, GX 5-1, and GX 13+1, as background sources to study the intervening ISM along their sightlines. The best-fit models are compared with Chandra archive data using SPEX. Additionally, we employ simulations with the XRISM and NewAthena telescopes to achieve enhanced resolution and more effective coverage at the energy range near the Ca K-edge. These simulations set the boundary conditions for the future X-ray observation of calcium in the interstellar medium.

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arXiv2026

XRISM Spectroscopy of Variable Accretion-driven Disk Winds in NGC 4151: When, Where, and How Fast Outflows are Launched

X-ray observations probe the inner accretion flow within active galactic nuclei, revealing the highest gas column densities and fastest winds. The most diverse winds yet revealed with the Resolve calorimeter spectrometer aboard XRISM are found in NGC~4151, a nearby Seyfert-1 AGN that may qualify as a ``changing-look'' source (CLAGN). Herein, we report on wind variability in 14 XRISM observations of NGC~4151, summing to 0.9~Ms of exposure over a period of 395 days. We examined the dependence of key wind parameters on hardness and intensity selections, and as a function of time relative to flaring and dip events. The results suggest a globally organized but locally complex wind structure. Slow ``warm absorber'' components (WAs; $v_{\rm{out}} \sim 100-1000~\rm{km~s^{-1}}$) are always observed and likely represent failed winds at radius of $10^4 - 10^5 GM/c^2$, within the inner wall of the torus. In contrast, ``very fast'' and ``ultra-fast'' outflows (VFOs and UFOs; $v_{\rm{out}} \sim 10^3-10^4~\rm{km~s^{-1}}$, $v_{\rm{out}} \sim 0.033-0.33~c$) are strongest 10~ks after the peak of flares, and during periods with low flux. Ten kiloseconds is among the shortest flare--wind response timescales reported in an AGN, suggesting that the winds are observed close to the launching site. The absorption measure distribution (AMD) and the large outflow momentum rates suggest that the high-velocity flows visible in the Fe~K band are magnetically driven, while locally clumpy, likely owing to radiation pressure; one or both of these mechanisms may be enhanced following a flare and most visible during low-flux windows.

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arXiv2026

Dissecting the Nuclear Structure of NGC 5548 with XRISM. I. Physical Properties of the Highly Ionized Outflows

We present a detailed spectral analysis of an X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) observation of the prototypical Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548. XRISM's Resolve microcalorimeter reveals, for the first time, highly ionized outflows in this active galactic nucleus (AGN) through the detection of Fe XXV and Fe XXVI absorption lines in the Fe K band. Modeling the XRISM/Resolve spectrum alongside XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) data allows us to probe the ionization and kinematic structure of the outflows in this AGN. We identify four distinct ionization components, with ionization parameters log $ξ$ ranging from 0.9 to 3.4. Three of these components are further resolved into two velocity sub-components, demonstrating the multiphase structure of the outflows. The measured outflow velocities span 240 to 2730 km/s. We find a trend of increasing column density with ionization parameter ($ξ$), along with a general pattern of increasing outflow velocity with $ξ$. The XRISM/Resolve spectrum provides a far more detailed absorption measure distribution (AMD) than was previously possible, revealing two distinct slopes above and below $\logξ\sim 2.6$. A comparison of the Fe XXV absorption line profile with UV absorption lines (C IV and Ly$α$) observed with the Hubble Space Telescope reveals both overlaps and deviations. The XRISM/Resolve results suggest a multiphase, clumpy outflow in NGC 5548, consistent with a "hybrid wind" scenario in which the observed parameter trends arise from multiple origins and driving mechanisms.

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arXiv2026

Chemical enrichment of the Perseus cluster core seen by XRISM/Resolve

The intracluster medium (ICM) is rich in chemical elements, produced by core-collapse (SNcc) and Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) over the last $\sim$12 Gyr. Whereas cluster outskirts are uniformly enriched with Fe at $\sim$0.3 solar - strongly suggesting that the gas had been pre-enriched during or before the assembly of galaxies into clusters, the Fe abundance is known to centrally increase in the core of relaxed clusters. The origin of these central Fe peaks however, as well as the apparent presence of mysterious drops previously reported in the very centre of a number of systems, remain to be clarified. In this paper, we address these two questions by measuring the spatial distribution of Fe and its relative Si/Fe, S/Fe, Ar/Fe, Ca/Fe, Cr/Fe, Mn/Fe, and Ni/Fe ratios in the X-ray bright, nearby Perseus cluster. We take advantage of the unprecedented spectral resolution ($\sim$5 eV) offered by the Resolve microcalorimeter on board XRISM, which observed four distinct pointings of Perseus out to $\sim$250 kpc ($\sim$0.2$r_{500}$) during its Performance Verification phase. Although the presence of an X-ray bright AGN challenges a precise quantification of absolute abundances in the very core, our baseline analysis rules out a strong drop with $>$2$σ$ confidence, at variance with previous CCD measurements. In addition, we find a remarkable spatial uniformity of X/Fe ratios, supporting the idea of negligible late SNIa enrichment from the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 1275. We also compare the overall chemical composition of the Perseus ICM with SNcc and SNIa nucleosynthesis yield models, finding that the co-existence of two separate SNIa enrichment channels is not needed to reproduce the ICM ratios satisfactorily.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Reverberation in the Narrow Fe K$α$ Line in the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 4151 with XRISM

Emission lines that "echo" variations in the ionizing flux produced close to black holes are powerful probes of the central engine. In the Seyfert-1.5 galaxy NGC 4151, high-resolution X-ray spectra and time lags in low-resolution X-ray data suggest that part of the narrow Fe K$_α$ line originates close to the optical broad line region (BLR). We report on a sequence of nine XRISM observations of NGC 4151, obtained every other day in 2024. Swift monitoring was undertaken to sample the driving flux before, during, and after the XRISM sequence. Using suitable line kernels, we measure a mean BLR component width of $σ= 5.36\pm 0.48\times 10^{3}~{\rm km}~ {\rm s}^{-1}$. Modeling the Swift continuum and XRISM line flux trends gives a lag of $τ= 3.5^{+2.8}_{-1.7}$ days ($r=3.6^{+3.0}_{-1.7}\times 10^{3}~GM/c^{2}$ for $M_{BH} = 1.7\times 10^{7}~M_{\odot}$), significant at the $2σ$ level via Monte Carlo simulations, and consistent with prior measurements and direct spectral fits. This lag implies a black hole mass of $M_{BH}/f_{X} = 2.0^{+1.4}_{-1.0}\times 10^{7} M_{\odot}$, where $f_{X}$ is a geometrical factor. A standard optical value for this factor gives a mass that is nominally higher than typical H$β$ mass estimates, but formally consistent. Our results suggest that XRISM can measure lags and black hole masses in both unobscured and obscured AGN.

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arXiv2026

XRISM High-Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy of Cygnus X-1 -- Orbital and Short-Term Variability of Iron Absorption

We present the first high-resolution spectroscopy of the black hole high-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-1 with XRISM, including orbital-phase-resolved analyses and tentative evidence of short-term variability in the Fe-K band on second timescales. Using data from the Performance Verification phase in April 2024, we analyzed spectral variability across orbital phases with the Resolve microcalorimeter and the Xtend CCD imager. The unprecedented resolution of Resolve reveals variability in highly ionized Fe absorption lines. The absorption features show orbital-phase-dependent variability in column density, ionization state, and blueshifted velocity, suggesting structural variations in the focused stellar wind along the line of sight. We also find indications of subtle broadening of the neutral Fe emission profile. In addition, intensity-sorted spectroscopy during dip phases suggests possible variability on timescales of a few seconds in the absorption features, consistent with cooler, denser and lower-ionized gas clumps. Although the statistical significance is limited, these results hint that the stellar wind and the X-rays from the accretion disk around the black hole may interact on timescales as short as a few seconds. These XRISM results constrain wind-fed accretion in Cyg X-1 and highlight Resolve's capability to probe plasma environments in high-mass X-ray binaries.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

XRISM High-Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy of Cygnus X-1 -- highly ionized Iron absorption structures

We present the first high-resolution X-ray spectral analysis of Cygnus X-1 using XRISM. The observation was carried out from April 7 to 10, 2024, covering the orbital phase range 0.65--0.17 during its low/hard state. Taking advantage of the exceptional energy resolution of the Resolve instrument, we examined highly ionized iron absorption lines and characterized the ionization states, column densities, and line-of-sight velocities of the absorbing plasma. Spectral analysis revealed an ionization parameter of approximately 3, column densities of a few times 10^21 cm^-2, and a blueshifted velocity of approximately 100 km s^-1. The observation was divided into two phases: before and after orbital phase phi_orb = 0.9, corresponding to non-dipping and dipping intervals. While only weak absorption features were present before phi_orb = 0.9, strong absorption by He-like and H-like Fe appeared during the dipping phase. We measured equivalent widths of 2.3 eV, 0.4 eV, and 1.2 eV for He-like Fe K-alpha, and H-like Ly-alpha1 and Ly-alpha2, respectively, demonstrating the capability of XRISM Resolve to securely detect narrow absorption features of only a few eV. These measurements trace the motion of the absorbing material and offer insight into the kinematics and spatial distribution of the wind in the vicinity of the black hole. These findings enhance our understanding of wind-fed accretion in Cygnus X-1 and highlight the importance of continued high-resolution X-ray observations to further constrain the physical properties of winds and accretion flows in high-mass X-ray binaries.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

The 0.9 Megasecond XRISM/Resolve Spectrum of the Seyfert-1 AGN NGC 4151

NGC 4151 is the brightest Seyfert-1 active galaxy in the pass band of the Resolve calorimeter spectrometer aboard XRISM. It has been observed on 14 occasions, resulting in a total exposure of 893 ks. Herein, we report on an analysis of the time-averaged spectrum. The narrow Fe K$_α$ emission line complex requires contributions from the torus and the optical broad line region (BLR). Models assuming an emissivity index of $q=2$ for these components are statistically preferred over models assuming $q=3$ for a flat disk (where $J\propto r^{-q}$). A smooth shoulder on the red wing of these line components is likely best interpreted as Compton scattering in a medium with bound electrons, potentially signaling the presence of dust at the base of the BLR and in the torus. The data statistically prefer the addition of relativistic reflection from the innermost accretion disk, extending down to a radius of $r = 3.2^{+3.5}_{-2.0}~GM/c^{2}$ and with an inclination of $θ= 29.7^{+0.5}_{-0.4}$ degrees. The Fe K edge at 7.1 keV is best modeled with contributions from multiple charge states, consistent with obscuration due to cool, $kT \simeq 5$ eV collisional gas or photoionized gas. Dust is not evident in the Fe K absorption edge. A spectrum of outflows is clearly revealed, with slow ``warm absorber'' winds spanning Fe XX-XXVI, fast winds primarily seen via Fe XXV and Fe XXVI lines, and ultra-fast outflows (or, UFOs) seen as broad Fe~XXVI lines. The warm absorbers are almost certainly ``failed'' winds that return to the central engine; the data constrain their radius, density, filling factor, and distribution. For the most conservative volume filling factors, the UFOs may not deliver the kinetic feedback needed to halt star formation, on average. However, they may generate galaxy-altering feedback for larger filling factors and/or during certain intervals. (abridged)

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Silicon, sulfur and iron in the interstellar medium: a high-resolution X-ray spectral study of GX 340+0

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy provides a powerful probe of the interstellar medium (ISM), giving direct access to the composition and physical state of dust grains and atomic species in dense environments. We present a study of the gas and dust along the line of sight to the bright low-mass X-ray binary GX 340+0, which samples higher-density gases in the ISM. Using deep Chandra/HETG spectra, we characterize X-ray absorption fine structure from dust, gas absorption lines, and the optical depths of the Si, S, and Fe K-edges. By fitting these three edges simultaneously, we reduce degeneracies in the dust composition and find that amorphous olivine dominates the fractional contribution among the dust columns ($\sim$65%), followed by metallic iron ($\sim$19%), iron sulfides (pyrrhotite and troilite; $\sim$10%), and fayalite ($\sim$5%), with the remaining species contributing only a few percent in total. From the inferred stoichiometry, we estimate that $\sim$74% of Fe is associated with silicates, $\sim$8% with sulfides, and $\sim$18% with metallic iron, suggesting that Fe is predominantly incorporated in iron rich silicate grains along this sightline. We detect S ii absorption and infer a sulfur dust fraction of $\sim$35%. We also detect absorption structure near the Ca and Ar K edges, highlighting the need for improved atomic photoabsorption data. The Chandra/HETG spectral resolution remains essential to disentangle dust and gas contributions at the Si and S K edges, providing a benchmark for dust characterization in high-density regions in the ISM.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

A Fast, Hot Wind from a Nuclear Starburst

Galaxies with intense star formation often host multiphase, galaxy-scale winds powered by supernovae and fast stellar winds. These are strong enough to disrupt the star-forming interstellar medium, and they chemically enrich the surrounding circumgalactic medium. However, their launching mechanism remains unknown. Here we show that thermal gas pressure is sufficient to drive the multiphase wind in the prototypical starburst galaxy M82. Using a high energy-resolution ($ΔE = 4.5$ eV) XRISM Resolve spectrum, including detections of FeXXV 6.7 keV, ArXVII 3.1 keV, and SXVI 2.6 keV, we measure the temperature ($T = 2.3^{+0.5}_{-0.2} \times 10^7$ K) and mass ($M \approx 6 \pm 2 \times 10^5$ M$_\odot$) of the hot gas in the starburst and provide the first direct measurement of its line-of-sight velocity dispersion ($σ= 595^{+464}_{-128}$ km s$^{-1}$). These values are consistent with a freely-expanding wind exceeding the galactic escape velocity. The size of the FeXXV-emitting region suggests a hot gas outflow rate of $\dot{M} \approx 4$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$, carrying a total energy of $\dot{E} \approx 2 \times 10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$. This is sufficient to drive the molecular, atomic, and ionized outflows while transporting up to $\approx 2$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ of hot gas to the intergalactic medium. The estimated supernova rate implies that $\approx$ 60% of the supernova energy must be thermalized in hot gas. Our results suggest that additional driving mechanisms, such as cosmic-ray pressure, are not required to launch the wind.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

High Spectral Resolution X-ray Observations of the Evolved Supermassive Stellar Binary System $η$ Carinae - Iron K$α$ Band Profile Revealed with XRISM

The supermassive binary system, $η$ Carinae, is experiencing enormous wind-driven mass loss at a rate unparalleled in the rest of the Galaxy. Their wind-wind collision (WWC) continuously produces shock heated, X-ray emitting plasmas. The XRISM X-ray observatory observed the system in 2023 and 2024 when the X-ray emission began to increase toward periastron passage in 2025. This manuscript reports unprecedentedly high-resolution X-ray spectra in the iron K$α$ band between 6.2 and 7.1 keV, obtained with the Resolve X-ray microcalorimeter. The hydrogen-like (Ly$α$) and helium-like (He$α$) lines reveal three velocity components. Two of them are broadened with maximum velocities of 2000-3000 km/s, likely originating from the post-shock companion wind. The other is relatively narrow, with a Gaussian broadening of only ~290 km/s in 1 sigma, which may originate from the post-shock companion wind at the WWC stagnation point or penetrating the primary wind. The iron fluorescent lines exhibit a moderate blueshift and broadening with velocities at 100-200 km/s, consistent with the primary wind's velocity field. The spectra also confirm a Compton shoulder of the He$α$ line complex for the first time. Both fluorescing and scattering spectral profiles indicate that the binary system is seen from the companion side during these observations. The flux ratio of the Compton scattering emission to the fluorescent line suggests substantial hydrogen depletion of the primary wind, expected from CNO-cycled hydrogen nuclear fusion gas.

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arXiv2025

Disentangling Multiple Gas Kinematic Drivers in the Perseus Galaxy Cluster

Galaxy clusters, the Universe's largest halo structures, are filled with 10-100 million degree X-ray-emitting gas. Their evolution is shaped by energetic processes such as feedback from supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and mergers with other cosmic structures. The imprints of these processes on gas kinematic properties remain largely unknown, restricting our understanding of gas thermodynamics and energy conversion within clusters. High-resolution spectral mapping across a broad spatial-scale range provides a promising solution to this challenge, enabled by the recent launch of the XRISM X-ray Observatory. Here, we present the kinematic measurements of the X-ray-brightest Perseus cluster with XRISM, radially covering the extent of its cool core. We find direct evidence for the presence of at least two dominant drivers of gas motions operating on distinct physical scales: a small-scale driver in the inner ~60 kpc, likely associated with the SMBH feedback; and a large-scale driver in the outer core, powered by mergers. The inner driver sustains a heating rate at least an order of magnitude higher than the outer one. This finding suggests that, during the active phase, the SMBH feedback generates turbulence, which, if fully dissipated into heat, could play a significant role in offsetting radiative cooling losses in the Perseus core. Our study underscores the necessity of kinematic mapping observations of extended sources for robust conclusions on the properties of the velocity field and their role in the assembly and evolution of massive halos. It further offers a kinematic diagnostic for theoretical models of SMBH feedback.

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arXiv2025

The dynamic central environment of NGC 3516 revealed by XRISM

We present a detailed, time-resolved analysis of the Fe K band of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 3516 observed with XRISM. The 249 ks observation spanning $\sim$310 ks in elapsed time reveals an exceptionally rich and time-variable absorption spectrum. Six distinct absorption components are detected across multiple ionization states, spanning more than an order of magnitude in ionization parameter and a wide range of systemic velocities, from a potential inflow ($+4300~\rm km~s^{-1}$) to a mildly relativistic ultra-fast outflow ($-9800~\rm km~s^{-1}$). Despite their diversity, the components exhibit relatively small broadening ($\lesssim$$400~\rm km~s^{-1}$), implying comparable internal dynamics within a medium of a complex structure. Time-resolved spectroscopy reveals pronounced variability in three highly ionized absorbers, with Fe XXV$-$Fe XXVI features that appear and disappear on timescales of tens of kiloseconds. This behavior likely reflects a combination of geometrical transits of clumpy gas and ionization-state changes driven by continuum variability. An additional temporary absorption feature in the red wing of the Fe K$α$ line, consistent with Fe XXV absorption, indicates a possible transient ultra-fast inflow at $\sim$$15\,000~\rm km~s^{-1}$ ($\sim$5% $c$). Finally, the continuum light curve exhibits a tentative $\sim$40 ks oscillatory pattern, accompanied by correlated shifts of a weak, narrow Fe K$α$ emission feature, suggesting dynamic coupling between the continuum and the line-emitting region. Together, these results reveal that the nuclear environment of NGC 3516 is dominated by rapidly evolving, multi-phase gas flows, where accretion, ejection, and ionization processes are tightly coupled on sub-parsec scales.

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arXiv2025

XRISM Observations of Accretion Disk Corona in Cyg X-2

We present the high-resolution X-ray spectrum of the Z-source Cygnus X-2, obtained with X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). The observations have enabled a precise characterization of the Fe-K emission lines from the accretion disk corona (ADC) and a possible detection of an ultra-fast outflow (UFO). The ADC component has at least two distinct regions. The Fe-K emission lines are remarkably broad, with a velocity dispersion of $σ_v=2300^{+900}_{-700}$~km~s$^{-1}$. This can be larger than what was observed in previous Chandra observations ($1120\pm870$~km~s$^{-1}$) and recent XRISM observations of the similar Z-source GX 340+0 (360--800~km~s$^{-1}$). Furthermore, we marginally detect a blueshifted absorption feature, which we identify as either \ion{Fe}{26} or \ion{Fe}{25}, with outflow velocities of $-0.29c$ or $-0.26c$, respectively. The mass loss rate is $\dot{M}\sim10^{-8}M_\odot\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$. Our findings suggest that the ADC in Cyg X-2 has a kinematically active environment with a high degree of turbulence and kinetic energy.

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arXiv2025

A XRISM View of Relativistic Reflection in Cygnus X-1

We present the first high-resolution XRISM/Resolve view of the relativistically broadened Fe K line in Cygnus X-1. The data clearly separate the relativistic broad line from the underlying continuum and from narrow emission and absorption features in the Fe band. The unprecedented spectral resolution in the Fe K band clearly demonstrates that the flux excess can be attributed to a single, broad feature, as opposed to a superposition of previously unresolved narrow features. This broad feature can be best interpreted as emission consistent with an origin near the innermost stable circular orbit around a rapidly rotating black hole. By modeling the shape of the broad line, we find a black hole spin of $a\simeq0.98$ and an inclination of the inner accretion disk of $θ\simeq63^\circ$. The spin is consistent with prior reflection studies, reaffirming the robustness of past spin measurements using the relativistic reflection method. The measured inclination provides reinforcing evidence of a disk-orbit misalignment in Cygnus X-1. These results highlight the unique abilities of XRISM in separating overlapping spectral features and providing constraints on the geometry of accretion in X-ray binaries.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

XRISM constraints on unidentified X-ray emission lines, including the 3.5 keV line, in the stacked spectrum of ten galaxy clusters

We stack 3.75 Megaseconds of early XRISM Resolve observations of ten galaxy clusters to search for unidentified spectral lines in the $E=$ 2.5-15 keV band (rest frame), including the $E=3.5$ keV line reported in earlier, low spectral resolution studies of cluster samples. Such an emission line may originate from the decay of the sterile neutrino, a warm dark matter (DM) candidate. No unidentified lines are detected in our stacked cluster spectrum, with the $3σ$ upper limit on the $m_{\rm s}\sim$ 7.1 keV DM particle decay rate (which corresponds to a $E=3.55$ keV emission line) of $Γ\sim 1.0 \times 10^{-27}$ s$^{-1}$. This upper limit is 3-4 times lower than the one derived by Hitomi Collaboration et al. (2017) from the Perseus observation, but still 5 times higher than the XMM-Newton detection reported by Bulbul et al. (2014) in the stacked cluster sample. XRISM Resolve, with its high spectral resolution but a small field of view, may reach the sensitivity needed to test the XMM-Newton cluster sample detection by combining several years worth of future cluster observations.

astro-ph.HE↗