arXiv subjects

J. M. Miller

Publications and source records attributed to J. M. Miller.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

The high energy emission of GRO J1655-40 as revealed with INTEGRAL spectroscopy of the 2005 outburst

We present broadband (3-500 keV) INTEGRAL X-ray spectra and X-ray/optical light curves of the luminous black hole X-ray transient and relativistic jet source GRO J1655-40. Our analysis covers four Target of Opportunity observations of the outburst that started in February 2005. We find that the high energy emission of GRO J1655-40 can be modelled well with an unbroken power-law (with photon indices of 1.72+-0.03,2.21+-0.04 for the first and the second observations, respectively). These correspond to hard and thermal dominant states, respectively. In contrast to many other black hole spectra, high energy complexity in the form of a break or cut-off is not required for the hard state, contrary to previous expectations for this state. We show for the first time that Comptonization by non-thermal electrons is the dominant process for the high energy emission in the hard state. We discuss our results in terms of models for broad-band emission and accretion flows in stellar-mass black holes.

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arXiv2007

Observations of the 599 Hz Accreting X-ray Pulsar IGR J00291+5934 during the 2004 Outburst and in Quiescence

We report on optical and NIR observations obtained during and after the 2004 December discovery outburst of the X-ray transient and accretion-powered millisecond pulsar IGR J00291+5934. Our observations monitored the evolution of the brightness and the spectral properties of J00291 during the outburst decay towards quiescence. We also present optical, NIR and Chandra observations obtained during true quiescence. Photometry of the field during outburst reveals an optical and NIR counterpart that brightened from R~23 to R~17 and from K=19 to K~16. Spectral analysis of the RIJHK broadband photometry shows excess in the NIR bands that may be due to synchrotron emission. The Halpha emission line profile suggests the orbital inclination is ~22-32 degrees. The preferred range for the reddening towards the source is 0.7 < E(B-V) < 0.9, which is equivalent to 4.06E21 cm^-2 < NH < 5.22E21 cm^-2. The Chandra observations of the pulsar in its quiescent state gave an unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV flux for the best-fitting power-law model to the source spectrum of (7.0 +/- 0.9)E-14 ergs/cm^2/s (adopting a hydrogen column of 4.6E21 cm^-2. The fit resulted in a power-law photon index of 2.4 +/- 0.5. The (R-K)o color observed during quiescence supports an irradiated donor star and accretion disk. We estimate a distance of 2 to 4 kpc towards J00291 by using the outburst X-ray light curve and the estimated critical X-ray luminosity necessary to keep the outer parts of the accretion disk ionized. Using the quiescent X-ray luminosity and the spin period, we constrain the magnetic field of the neutron star to be < 3E8 Gauss.

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arXiv2007

Relativistic X-ray Lines from the Inner Accretion Disks Around Black Holes

Relativistic X-ray emission lines from the inner accretion disk around black holes are reviewed. Recent observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission-Newton, and Suzaku are revealing these lines to be good probes of strong gravitational effects. A number of important observational and theoretical developments are highlighted, including evidence of black hole spin and effects such as gravitational light bending, the detection of relativistic lines in stellar-mass black holes, and evidence of orbital-timescale line flux variability. In addition, the robustness of the relativistic disk lines against absorption, scattering, and continuum effects is discussed. Finally, prospects for improved measures of black hole spin and understanding the spin history of supermassive black holes in the context of black hole-galaxy co-evolution are presented. The best data and most rigorous results strongly suggest that relativistic X-ray disk lines can drive future explorations of General Relativity and disk physics.

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arXiv2007

Swift Observations of the Cooling Accretion Disk of XTE J1817-330

The black hole candidate X-ray transient XTE J1817-330 was observed by the Swift satellite over 160 days of its 2006 outburst with the XRT and UVOT instruments. At the start of the observations, the XRT spectra show that the 0.6-10 keV emission is dominated by an optically thick, geometrically thin accretion disk with an inner disk temperature of $\sim0.8$ keV, indicating that the source was in a high/soft state during the initial outburst phase. We tracked the source through its decline into the low/hard state with the accretion disk cooling to $\sim 0.2 \mathrm{keV}$ and the inner disk radius consistent with the innermost stable circular orbit at all times. Furthermore, the X-ray luminosity roughly follows $L_X \propto T^4$ during the decline, consistent with a geometrically stable blackbody. These results are the strongest evidence yet obtained that accretion disks do not automatically recede after a state transition, down to accretion rates as low as $0.001 L_{Edd}$. Meanwhile, the near-UV flux does not track the X-ray disk flux, and is well in excess of what is predicted if the near-UV emission is from viscous dissipation in the outer disk. The strong correlation between the hard X-ray flux and the near-UV flux, which scale as $L_X^{0.5}$, indicate that reprocessed emission is most likely the dominate contribution to the near-UV flux. We discuss our results within the context of accretion disks and the overall accretion flow geometry in accreting black holes.

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arXiv2006

ToO observations of GRO J1655-40 in outburst with INTEGRAL

In this paper we present the results of the analysis of the INTEGRAL data for the black hole transient GRO J1655-40. The observations consist of four ToO (100 ks each) observations's AO-3 spread from February to April of 2005. We present here the preliminary spectral analysis of this source between 5 and 200 keV. Also, some comments of the light curves obtained during this period are shown.

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arXiv2006

A Short Review of Relativistic Iron Lines from Stellar-Mass Black Holes

In this contribution, I briefly review recent progress in detecting and measuring the properties of relativistic iron lines observed in stellar-mass black hole systems, and the aspects of these lines that are most relevant to studies of similar lines in Seyfert-1 AGN. In particular, the lines observed in stellar-mass black holes are not complicated by complex low-energy absorption or partial-covering of the central engine, and strong lines are largely independent of the model used to fit the underlying broad-band continuum flux. Indeed, relativistic iron lines are the most robust diagnostic of black hole spin that is presently available to observers, with specific advantages over the systematics-plagued disk continuum. If accretion onto stellar-mass black holes simply scales with mass, then the widespread nature of lines in stellar-mass black holes may indicate that lines should be common in Seyfert-1 AGN, though perhaps harder to detect.

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arXiv2006

A look at disk-jet connections in stellar-mass black holes

Connections between accretion disks and jets in accreting black holes are anticipated theoretically. In recent years, potential evidence for such connections has been emerging, most vividly in the convenient regime of stellar-mass black holes. In this contribution, various lines of evidence for disk-jet connections are briefly examined, from the standpoint of an observer focused on the role of the disk. While many lines of investigation may be promising in the future, obtaining multi-wavelength lightcurves and correlating jet flux in the radio band with physical parameters and phenomena tied to the accretion disk in X-rays may be the most direct.

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arXiv2006

A Long, Hard Look at the Low-Hard State in Accreting Black Holes

We present the first results of coordinated multi-wavelength observations of the Galactic black hole GX 339-4 in a canonical low-hard state, obtained during its 2004 outburst. XMM-Newton observed the source for 2 revolutions, or approximately 280 ksec; RXTE monitored the source throughout this long stare. The resulting data offer the best view yet obtained of the inner accretion flow geometry in the low-hard state, which is thought to be analogous to the geometry in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. The XMM-Newton spectra clearly reveal the presence of a cool accretion disk component, and a relativistic Fe K emission line. The results of fits made to both components strongly suggest that a standard thin disk remains at or near to the innermost stable circular orbit, at least in bright phases of the low-hard state. These findings indicate that potential links between the inner disk radius and the onset of a steady compact jet, and the paradigm of a radially-recessed disk in the low-hard state, do not hold universally. The results of our observations can best be explained if a standard thin accretion disk fuels a corona which is closely related to, or consistent with, the base of a compact jet. In a brief examination of archival data, we show that Cygnus X-1 supports this picture of the low/hard state. We discuss our results within the context of disk-jet connections and prevailing models for accretion onto black holes.

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arXiv2006

A Prominent Accretion Disk in the Low-Hard State of the Black Hole Candidate SWIFT J1753.5-0127

We report on simultaneous XMM-Newton and RXTE observations of the stellar-mass black hole candidate SWIFT J1753.5-0127. The source was observed in the low-hard state, during the decline of a hard outburst. The inner accretion disk is commonly assumed to be radially truncated in the low-hard state, and it has been suggested that this property may be tied the production of steady, compact jets. Fits to the X-ray spectra of SWIFT J1753.5-0127 with a number of simple models clearly reveal a cool (kT ~ 0.2 keV) accretion disk. The disk component is required at more than the 8 sigma level of confidence. Although estimates of inner disk radii based on continuum spectroscopy are subject to considerable uncertainty, fits with a number of models suggest that the disk is observed at or close to the innermost stable circular orbit. Recently, an observation of GX 339-4 revealed a disk extending to the innermost stable circular orbit at L_X/L_Edd ~ 0.05; our results from SWIFT J1753.5-0127 may extend this finding down to L_X/L_Edd ~ 0.003 (d/8.5 kpc)^2 (M/Msun). We discuss our results within the context of low-luminosity accretion flow models and disk-jet connections.

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arXiv2006

The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes

Although disk accretion onto compact objects - white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes - is central to much of high energy astrophysics, the mechanisms which enable this process have remained observationally elusive. Accretion disks must transfer angular momentum for matter to travel radially inward onto the compact object. Internal viscosity from magnetic processes and disk winds can in principle both transfer angular momentum, but hitherto we lacked evidence that either occurs. Here we report that an X-ray-absorbing wind discovered in an observation of the stellar-mass black hole binary GRO J1655-40 must be powered by a magnetic process that can also drive accretion through the disk. Detailed spectral analysis and modeling of the wind shows that it can only be powered by pressure generated by magnetic viscosity internal to the disk or magnetocentrifugal forces. This result demonstrates that disk accretion onto black holes is a fundamentally magnetic process.

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arXiv2006

A Chandra X-ray observation of the globular cluster Terzan 1

We present a 19 ks Chandra ACIS-S observation of the globular cluster Terzan 1. Fourteen sources are detected within 1.4 arcmin of the cluster center with 2 of these sources predicted to be not associated with the cluster (background AGN or foreground objects). The neutron star X-ray transient, X1732-304, has previously been observed in outburst within this globular cluster with the outburst seen to last for at least 12 years. Here we find 4 sources that are consistent with the ROSAT position for this transient, but none of the sources are fully consistent with the position of a radio source detected with the VLA that is likely associated with the transient. The most likely candidate for the quiescent counterpart of the transient has a relatively soft spectrum and an unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV luminosity of 2.6E32 ergs/s, quite typical of other quiescent neutron stars. Assuming standard core cooling, from the quiescent flux of this source we predict long (>400 yr) quiescent episodes to allow the neutron star to cool. Alternatively, enhanced core cooling processes are needed to cool down the core. However, if we do not detect the quiescent counterpart of the transient this gives an unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV luminosity upper limit of 8E31 ergs/s. We also discuss other X-ray sources within the globular cluster. From the estimated stellar encouter rate of this cluster we find that the number of sources we detect is significantly higher than expected by the relationship of Pooley et al. (2003).

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arXiv2006

INTEGRAL/RossiXTE high-energy observation of a state transition of GX 339-4

On 2004 August 15, we observed a fast (shorter than 10 hours) state transition in the bright black-hole transient GX 339-4 simultaneously with RossiXTE and INTEGRAL. This transition was evident both in timing and spectral properties. Combining the data from PCA, HEXTE and IBIS, we obtained good quality broad-band (3-200 keV) energy spectra before and after the transition. These spectra indicate that the hard component steepened. Also, the high-energy cutoff that was present at ~70 keV before the transition was not detected after the transition. This is the first time that an accurate determination of the broad-band spectrum across such a transition has been measured on a short time scale. It shows that, although some spectral parameters do not change abruptly through the transition, the high-energy cutoff increases/disappears rather fast. These results constitute a benchmark on which to test theoretical models for the production of the hard component in these systems.

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arXiv2005

On the Robustness of Cool Disc Components in Bright ULXs

In this letter, we comment on the robustness of putative cool (kT ~ 0.2 keV) accretion disc components in the X-ray spectra of the most luminous (L ~ 10^40 erg/s) ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in nearby normal galaxies. When compared to stellar-mass black holes, the low disc temperatures observed in some ULXs may imply intermediate-mass black hole primaries. Recent work has claimed that such soft excesses are unlikely to be actual disc components, based on the lack of variability in these components, and in the overall source flux. Other work has proposed that alternative phenomenological models, and complex Comptonisation models, rule-out cool disc components in ULX spectra. An inspection of the literature on Galactic stellar-mass black holes and black hole candidates demonstrates that the flux behaviours seen in specific ULXs are consistent with phenomena observed in well-known Galactic X-ray binaries. Applying Comptonisation models to simulated disc blackbody plus power-law spectra shows that at the sensitivity achieved in even the best ULX spectra, Comptonisation fits are highly model-dependent, and do not yield meaningful constraints on the accretion flow. In contrast, the need for a soft, thermal component does not appear to be model-dependent. As we have previously noted, soft thermal components in ULX spectra may not represent accretion discs, but present alternatives to this interpretation are not robust.

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arXiv2005

Orbital X-Ray Variability of the Microquasar LS 5039

The properties of the orbit and the donor star in the high mass X-ray binary microquasar LS 5039 indicate that accretion processes should mainly occur via a radiatively driven wind. In such a scenario, significant X-ray variability would be expected due to the eccentricity of the orbit. The source has been observed at X-rays by several missions, although with a poor coverage that prevents to reach any conclusion about orbital variability. Therefore, we conducted RossiXTE observations of the microquasar system LS 5039 covering a full orbital period of 4 days. Individual observations are well fitted with an absorbed power-law plus a Gaussian at 6.7 keV, to account for iron line emission that is probably a diffuse background feature. In addition, we have taken into account that the continuum is also affected by significant diffuse background contamination. Our results show moderate power-law flux variations on timescales of days, as well as the presence of miniflares on shorter timescales. The new orbital ephemeris of the system recently obtained by Casares et al. have allowed us to show, for the first time, that an increase of emission is seen close to the periastron passage, as expected in an accretion scenario. Moreover, the detected orbital variability is a factor of ~4 smaller than the one expected by using a simple wind accretion model, and we suggest that an accretion disk around the compact object could be responsible for this discrepancy. On the other hand, significant changes in the photon index are also observed clearly anti-correlated with the flux variations. We interpret the overall X-ray spectral characteristics of LS 5039 in the context of X-ray radiation produced by inverse Compton and/or synchrotron processes in the jet of this microquasar.

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arXiv2005

Discovery of a redshifted X-ray emission line in the symbiotic neutron star binary 4U 1700+24

We present the spectral analysis of an XMM-Newton observation of the X-ray binary 4U 1700+24, performed during an outburst in August 2002. The EPIC-PN spectrum above 1 keV can be modeled by a blackbody plus Comptonization model, as in previous observations. At lower energies, however, we detect a prominent soft excess, which we model with a broad Gaussian centered at ~0.5 keV. In the high resolution RGS spectrum we detect a single emission line, centered at 19.19^{+0.05}_{-0.09} Å. We discuss two possible interpretations for this line: O VIII at redshift z=0.012^{+0.002}_{-0.004} or Ne IX at redshift z~0.4.

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arXiv2005

The evolution of the timing properties of the black-hole transient GX 339-4 during its 2002/2003 outburst

We present the results of the timing and color analysis of more than two hundred RXTE/PCA observations of the bright black-hole transient GX 339-4 obtained during its 2002/2003 outburst. The color-intensity evolution of the system, coupled to the properties of its fast time variability, allow the identification of four separate states. Depending on the state, strong noise is detected, together with a variety of quasi-periodic oscillations at frequencies from 0.2 to 8 Hz. We present a characterization of the timing parameters of these states and compare them to what has been observed in other systems. These results, together with those obtained from energy spectra, point towards a common evolution of black-hole transients through their outbursts.

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arXiv2005

Evidence for a Link Between Fe K-alpha Emission Line Strength and QPO Phase in a Black Hole

In X-ray binaries, the frequencies revealed in X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are often interpreted as characteristic frequencies in the inner accretion disk, though the exact oscillation mechanism is unknown at present. Broadened Fe K-alpha lines are also excellent diagnostics of the inner accretion flow, if their broadening is indeed due to inner disk reflection. Herein, we present two cases where the flux and equivalent width of the Fe K-alpha emission lines in spectra of the Galactic black hole GRS 1915+105 vary with the phase of strong 1 Hz and 2 Hz QPOs in the X-ray flux. These results provide strong evidence that both QPOs and the Fe-alpha lines originate in the inner disk. If the 1 Hz QPO is only a Keplerian orbital frequency, the QPO comes from a distance of 84 +/- 26 R_Schw from the black hole; the 2 Hz QPO implies a radius of 50 +/- 15 R_Schw. At these radii, relativistic shaping of a disk line is inevitable. Moreover, the link holds in radio-bright and radio-faint phases, signaling that in systems like GRS 1915+105, the Fe K-alpha line is a disk line and not a jet line as per SS 433. A particularly interesting possibility is that a stable warp in the inner disk, e.g. due to Lense-Thirring precession, may produce the observed QPOs and line modulations. More broadly, the FeK-QPO link provides an unprecedented mechanism for revealing the inner accretion flow and relativistic regime in accreting systems, in that it gives two measures of radius: for a given disk QPO model, the frequency translates into a specific radius, and relativistic line models yield radii directly.

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arXiv2004

Present Evidence for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in ULXs and Future Prospects

In a number of the most luminous ULXs (L ~ 1 E+40 erg/s) in nearby galaxies, observations with XMM-Newton and Chandra are revealing evidence which suggests that these ULXs may harbor intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs). The detection of accretion disk spectral components with temperatures 5-10 times lower than the temperatures observed in stellar-mass black hole binaries near to their Eddington limit may be particularly compelling evidence for IMBH primaries, since T ~ M^(-1/4) for disks around black holes. In some sources, X-ray timing diagnostics also hint at IMBHs. Evidence for IMBHs in a subset of the most luminous ULXs, a discussion of the robustness of this evidence and alternatives to the IMBH interpretation, and prospects for better determining the nature of these sources in the future, are presented in this work.

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