arXiv subjects

J. Neilsen

Publications and source records attributed to J. Neilsen.

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Doppler and modulation tomography of XTE J1118+480 in quiescence

We present Doppler and modulation tomography of the X-ray nova XTE J1118+480 with data obtained during quiescence using the 10-m Keck II telescope. The hot spot where the gas stream hits the accretion disc is seen in H-Alpha, H-Beta, He I Lambda-5876, and Ca II Lambda-8662, thus verifying the presence of continued mass transfer within the system. The disc is clearly seen in H-Alpha and Ca II Lambda-8662. We image the mass-donor star in narrow absorption lines of Na I Lambda-Lambda-5890, 5896, 8183, 8195 and Ca II Lambda-8662, implying an origin from the secondary itself rather than the interstellar medium. We also detect deviations in the centroid of the double peak of H-Alpha akin to those found by Zurita et al. 2002 suggesting disc eccentricity.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2007

The Eccentric Accretion Disc of the Black Hole A0620-00

We present spectroscopic observations of the quiescent black hole binary A0620-00 with the the 6.5-m Magellan Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We measure absorption-line radial velocities of the secondary and make the most precise determination to date (K2 = 435.4 +/- 0.5 km/s). By fitting the rotational broadening of the secondary, we refine the mass ratio to q = 0.060 +/- 0.004; these results, combined with the orbital period, imply a minimum mass for the compact object of 3.10 +/- 0.04 Msun. Although quiescence implies little accretion activity, we find that the disc contributes 56 +/- 7 per cent of the light in B and V, and is subject to significant flickering. Doppler maps of the Balmer lines reveal bright emission from the gas stream-disc impact point and unusual crescent-shaped features. We also find that the disc centre of symmetry does not coincide with the predicted black hole velocity. By comparison with SPH simulations, we identify this source with an eccentric disc. With high S/N, we pursue modulation tomography of H-alpha and find that the aforementioned bright regions are strongly modulated at the orbital period. We interpret this modulation in the context of disc precession, and discuss cases for the accretion disc evolution.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Phase Variation in the Pulse Profile of SMC X-1

We present the results of timing and spectral analysis of X-ray high state observations of the high-mass X-ray pulsar SMC X-1 with Chandra, XMM-Newton, and ROSAT, taken between 1991 and 2001. The source has L_X ~ 3-5 x 10^38 ergs/s, and the spectra can be modeled as a power law plus blackbody with kT_BB \~ 0.18 keV and reprocessed emission radius R_BB ~ 2 x 10^8 cm, assuming a distance of 60 kpc to the source. Energy-resolved pulse profiles show several distinct forms, more than half of which include a second pulse in the soft profile, previously documented only in hard energies. We also detect significant variation in the phase shift between hard and soft pulses, as has recently been reported in Her X-1. We suggest an explanation for the observed characteristics of the soft pulses in terms of precession of the accretion disk.

astro-ph↗