arXiv subjects

M. A. Nowak

Publications and source records attributed to M. A. Nowak.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2000

The Flared Disc Project: RXTE and ASCA Observations of X 1822-371

We present archival RXTE and simultaneous ASCA data of the eclipsing low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) X 1822-371. Our spectral analysis shows that a variety of simple models can fit the spectra relatively well. Of these models, we explore two in detail through phase resolved fits. These two models represent the case of a very optically thick and a very optically thin corona. While systematic residuals remain at high energies, the overall spectral shape is well-approximated. The same two basic models are fit to the X-ray light curve, which shows sinusoidal modulations interpreted as absorption by an opaque disc rim of varying height. The geometry we infer from these fits is consistent with previous studies: the disc rim reaches out to the tidal truncation radius, while the radius of the corona (approximated as spherical) is very close to the circularization radius. Timing analysis of the RXTE data shows a time lag from hard to soft consistent with the coronal size inferred from the fits. Neither the spectra nor the light curve fits allow us to rule out either model, leaving a key ingredient of the X 1822-371 puzzle unsolved. Furthermore, while previous studies were consistent with the central object being a 1.4 Msol neutron star, which has been adopted as the best guess scenario for this system, our light curve fits show that a white dwarf or black hole primary can work just as well. Based on previously published estimates of the orbital evolution of X 1822-371, however, we suggest that this system contains either a neutron star or a low mass (~ 2.5 Msol) black hole and is in a transitional state of duration shortward of 10^7 years.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

A deep X-ray observation of NGC 4258 and its surrounding field

We present a deep X-ray observation of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus in NGC4258 (M106) using ASCA. The soft X-ray spectrum <2keV is dominated by thermal emission from optically-thin plasma with kT~0.5keV. The hard X-ray emission is clearly due to a power-law component with photon index Gamma=1.8 absorbed by a column density of N_H=8x10^22/cm^2. The power-law is readily identified with primary X-ray emission from the AGN central engine. We also clearly detect a narrow iron K-alpha emission line at 6.4keV. No broad component is detected. We suggest that the bulk of this narrow line comes from the accretion disk and, furthermore, that the power-law X-ray source which excites this line emission (which is typically identified with a disk corona) must be at least 100GM/c^2 in extent. This is in stark contrast to many higher-luminosity Seyfert galaxies which display a broad iron line indicating a small 10 GM/c^2 X-ray emitting region. It must be stressed that this study constrains the size of the X-ray emitting corona rather than the presence/absence of a radiatively efficient accretion disk in the innermost regions. If, instead, a substantial fraction of the observed narrow line originates from material not associated with the accretion disk, limits can be placed on the parameter space of possible allowed relativistically broad iron lines. By comparing our data with previous ASCA observations, we find marginal evidence for a change in absorbing column density through to the central engine, and good evidence for a change in the AGN flux.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Temporal Evolution of X-ray Lags in Cygnus X-1

We present the long term evolution of the frequency-dependent X-ray time lags of the black hole candidate Cygnus X-1 as measured in 1996 and 1998 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). Lag spectra measured during the 1996 June soft state are very similar to those seen during 1996 December and most of 1998 while Cyg~X-1 was in its hard state. During state transitions, however, the shape and magnitude of the X-ray lag is highly variable and tends to be much larger than outside of the state transitions. This behavior is most obvious in the 1--10 Hz band. The increase of the X-ray lag during the state transitions might be related to the formation and destruction of the synchrotron radiation emitting outflows present during the hard state.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Monitoring the Short-Term Variability of Cyg X-1: Spectra and Timing

We present first results from the spectral and temporal analysis of an RXTE monitoring campaign of the black hole candidate Cygnus X-1 in 1999. The timing properties of this hard state black hole show considerable variability, even though the state does not change. This has previously been noted for the power spectral density, but is probably even more pronounced for the time lags. From an analysis of four monitoring observations of Cyg X-1, separated by 2 weeks from each other, we find that a shortening of the time lags is associated with a hardening of the X-ray spectrum, as well as with a longer characteristic ``shot time scale''. We briefly discuss possible physical/geometrical reasons for this variability of the hard state properties.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

RXTE Monitoring of LMC X-3: Recurrent Hard States

The black hole candidate LMC X-3 varies by a factor of four in the soft X-rays on a timescale of 200 or 100days. We have monitored LMC X-3 with RXTE in three to four week intervals starting in December 1996, obtaining a large observational database that sheds light on the nature of the long term X-ray variability in this source. In this paper we present the results of this monitoring campaign, focusing on evidence of recurring hard states in this canonical soft state black hole candidate.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Simultaneous EUVE/ASCA/RXTE Observations of NGC 5548

We present simultaneous observations by EUVE, ASCA, and RXTE of the type~1 Seyfert galaxy NGC 5548. These data indicate that variations in the EUV emission (at $\sim 0.2 $keV) appear to lead similar modulations in higher energy ($\ga 1 $keV) X-rays by $\sim$10--30 ks. This is contrary to popular models which attribute the correlated variability of the EUV, UV and optical emission in type~1 Seyferts to reprocessing of higher energy radiation. This behavior instead suggests that the variability of the optical through EUV emission is an important driver for the variability of the harder X-rays which are likely produced by thermal Comptonization. We also investigate the spectral characteristics of the fluorescent iron K$α$ line and Compton reflection emission. In contrast to prior measurements of these spectral features, we find that the iron K$α$ line has a relatively small equivalent width ($W_{Kα} \sim 100 $eV) and that the reflection component is consistent with a covering factor which is significantly less than unity ($Ω/2π\sim 0.4$--0.5). Notably, although the 2--10 keV X-ray flux varies by $\sim \pm 25$% and the derived reflection fraction appears to be constant throughout our observations, the flux in the Fe~K$α$ line is also constant. This behavior is difficult to reconcile in the context of standard Compton reflection models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Correlations of Eigenvectors for Non-Hermitian Random-Matrix Models

We establish a general relation between the diagonal correlator of eigenvectors and the spectral Green's function for non-hermitian random-matrix models in the large-N limit. We apply this result to a number of non-hermitian random-matrix models and show that the outcome is in good agreement with numerical results.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1998

RXTE Observations of Cygnus X-1: Broad-Band Spectra and High-Resolution Timing

We present results from a 20 ksec RXTE observation of the black hole candidate Cyg X-1. We apply self-consistent accretion disk corona models to these hard state data and show that Comptonization in a spherical corona irradiated by soft photons from an exterior cold disk is able to successfully model the spectrum. We also present the power spectrum, the coherence function, and the time lags for lightcurves from four energy bands. By modeling the high-resolution lightcurves with stochastic linear state space models, we show that the rapid hard state variability of Cyg X-1 can be explained with a single timescale.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

RXTE Observations of LMC X-1 and LMC X-3

Of all known persistent stellar-mass black hole candidates, only LMC X-1 and LMC X-3 consistently show spectra that are dominated by a soft, thermal component. We present results from long (170ksec) Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of LMC X-1 and LMC X-3 made in 1996 December. The spectra can be described by a multicolor disk blackbody plus an additional high-energy power-law. Even though the spectra are very soft (Gamma is about 2.5), RXTE detected a significant signal from LMC X-3 up to energies of 50keV, the hardest energy at which the object was ever detected. Focusing on LMC X-3, we present results from the first year of an ongoing monitoring campaign with RXTE which started in 1997 January. We show that the appearance of the object changes considerably over its ~200d long cycle. This variability can either be explained by periodic changes in the mass transfer rate or by a precessing accretion disk analogous to Her X-1.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Critical Scaling at Zero Virtuality in QCD

We show that at the critical point of chiral random matrix models, novel scaling laws for the inverse moments of the eigenvalues are expected. We evaluate explicitly the pertinent microscopic spectral density, and found it in agreement with numerical calculations. We suggest that similar sum rules are of relevance to QCD at the critical temperature, and even above if the transition is amenable to a Landau-Ginzburg description.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1998

Chiral Disorder in QCD

Using the Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner (GOR) relation and semi-classical arguments, we show that the bulk quark spectrum in QCD exhibits a variety of regimes including the ergodic one described by random matrix theory. We analyze the quark spectral form-factor in the diffusive and ballistic regime. We suggest that a class of chiral transitions in QCD is possibly of the metal-insulator type, with a universal spectral statistics at the mobility edge.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1997

The Physical Interpretation of X-ray Phase Lags and Coherence: RXTE Observations of Cygnus X--1 as a Case Study

There have been a number of recent spectral models that have been successful in reproducing the observed X-ray spectra of galactic black hole candidates (GBHC). However, there still exists controversy over such issues as: what are the sources of hard radiation, what is the system's geometry, is the accretion efficient or inefficient, etc. A potentially powerful tool for distinguishing among these possibilities, made possible by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), is the variability data, especially the observed phase lags and variability coherence. These data, in conjunction with spectral modeling, have the potential of determining physical sizes of the system, as well as placing strong constraints on both Compton corona and advection models. As an example, we present RXTE variability data of Cygnus X-1

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

The 67 Hz Feature in the Black Hole Candidate GRS 1915+105 as a Possible ``Diskoseismic'' Mode

The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has made feasible for the first time the search for high-frequency (~ 100 Hz) periodic features in black hole candidate (BHC) systems. Such a feature, with a 67 Hz frequency, recently has been discovered in the BHC GRS 1915+105 (Morgan, Remillard, & Greiner). This feature is weak (rms variability ~0.3%-1.6%), stable in frequency (to within ~2 Hz) despite appreciable luminosity fluctuations, and narrow (quality factor Q ~ 20). Several of these properties are what one expects for a ``diskoseismic'' g-mode in an accretion disk about a 10.6 M_sun (nonrotating) - 36.3 M_sun (maximally rotating) black hole (if we are observing the fundamental mode frequency). We explore this possibility by considering the expected luminosity modulation, as well as possible excitation and growth mechanisms---including turbulent excitation, damping, and ``negative'' radiation damping. We conclude that a diskoseismic interpretation of the observations is viable.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Heavy Hadrons and QCD Instantons

Heavy hadrons are analyzed in a random and dilute gas of instantons. We derive the instanton-induced interactions between heavy and light quarks at next to leading order in the heavy quark mass and in the planar approximation, and discuss their effects on the hadronic spectrum. The role of these interactions in the formation of exotic hadrons is also discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1994

Heavy Mesons in a Random Instanton Gas

We analyze the correlation function of a meson with one heavy and one light quark in inverse powers of the heavy quark mass $m_Q$ using a succession of Foldy-Wouthuysen-type transformations prior to radiative corrections. We evaluate the correlator to order $m_Q^0$ in a random and dilute gas of instantons, using the planar approximation. We show, in leading order in the density, that the heavy quark mass is shifted to the order $m_Q^0$ and that the induced interaction between the heavy and light quarks is attractive. We also find it to be an order of magnitude smaller than the 't Hooft interaction between two light quarks. The shift in the heavy quark mass is related to the perimeter law of large Wilson loops. The relevance of these results for general hadronic correlators with heavy quarks is discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1994

The Statistics of Gamma Ray Burst Lensing

Possibly the only unambiguous verification that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are at cosmological distances would be the observation of multiple images of a gravitationally lensed burst. Each images would arrive at a different time, but exhibit identical light curves. We improve upon previous calculations of GRB lensing by using revised cosmological burst models based upon better knowledge of burst spectra, and we consider several sets of cosmological parameters. Only lensing by the known population of galaxies is considered, and we compute the lensing rate and amplification bias using three different lens models. Assuming that 800 bursts per year are above the detection threshold of the BATSE experiment on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, we predict one lensing event every 1.5--25 years, with a median time delay between images of about 7 days. However, BATSE has an instrumental efficiency of about 12\% for detecting double bursts, decreasing the detection rate to fewer than one per century for some cosmological parameters. This inefficiency can be overcome partially if cases of quadruple imaging by elliptical potentials are common, but simulations show that lensing by elliptical potentials enhances the detection rate by only about 20\%. We conclude that it is unlikely that the BATSE experiment will detect a lensed burst, but that a future experiment, which is either much more sensitive or has a much more efficient duty cycle, could.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1994

Can We Identify Lensed Gamma Ray Bursts?

A gravitationally lensed gamma-ray burst (GRB) would appear as multiple bursts with identical light curves, separated in time and differing only by the scaling of their amplitudes. However, noise may make them difficult to identify as lensed images. Furthermore, faint, intrinsically similar, yet distinct light curves may be falsely identified as lensing events. In this paper we develop two statistical tests to distinguish noisy burst light curves. We use Fourier analysis techniques to analyze the signals for both intrinsic variability and variability due to noise. We are able to determine the noise level, and we compare the bursts only at frequency channels that are signal dominated. Utilizing these methods, we are able to make quantitative statements about whether two bursts are distinct. We apply these statistics to scaled versions of two subbursts of GRB 910503--- subbursts previously investigated by Wambsganss (1993) using a different statistical test. We find that our methods are able to distinguish these bursts at slightly smaller amplitudes than those at which Wambsganss's method succeeds. We then apply our techniques to ``candidate" lensing events taken from the BATSE catalogue, and we find that nearly all of them, except for the very shortest ones (durations $\aproxlt 0.3 ~s$), are distinguishable. We therefore expect that a majority of bursts will be disinguishable from one another.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1994

Finite Temperature Correlators in the Schwinger Model

We discuss the correlation function of hadronic currents in the Schwinger model at finite temperature $T$. We explicitly construct the retarded correlator in real time and obtain analytical results for the Euclidean correlator on a torus. Both constructions lead to the same finite temperature spectral function. The spatial screening lengths in the mesonic channels are related to the dynamical meson mass $m=e/\sqrtπ$ and not $2πT$ even in the infinite temperature limit. The relevance of our results for the finite temperature problem in four dimensions is discussed.

hep-ph↗