arXiv subjects

Nazma Islam

Publications and source records attributed to Nazma Islam.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Correlations between radio and bolometric fluxes in GX 339-4 and H1743-322

Compact radio jets are ubiquitous in stellar-mass black-hole binaries in their hard spectral state. Empirical relations between the radio and narrow-band X-ray fluxes have been used to understand the connection between their accretion discs and jets. However, a narrow-band (e.g., 1--10 or 3--9 keV) X-ray flux can be a poor proxy for either the bolometric luminosity or the mass accretion rate. Here, we study correlations between the radio and unabsorbed broad-band X-ray fluxes, the latter providing good estimates of the bolometric flux. We consider GX 339--4, the benchmark object for the main branch of the correlation, and H1743--322, the first source found to be an outlier of the correlation. The obtained power-law dependencies of the radio flux on the bolometric flux have significantly different indices from those found for the narrow X-ray bands. Also, the radio/bolometric flux correlations for the rise of the outbursts are found to be significantly different from those for the outburst decline. This points to a possible existence of a jet hysteresis in the radio/X-ray source evolution, in addition to that seen in the hardness/flux diagram of low-mass X-ray binaries. The correlation during the rise of the outbursts is similar for both GX 339--4 and H1743--322. The correlation for the decline of the outbursts for H1743--322 lies below that of GX 339--4 at intermediate X-ray fluxes, whereas it approaches the standard correlation at lower X-ray luminosities. We also compare these correlations to those for the high-mass X-ray binaries Cyg X-1 and Cyg X-3.

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arXiv2017

Analysis of NuSTAR and Suzaku observations of Cyg X-1 in the hard state: evidence for a truncated disc geometry

The geometry of the accretion flow in black-hole X-ray binaries in the hard state, in particular the position of the disc inner edge, has been a subject of intense debate in recent years. We address this issue by performing a spectral study of simultaneous observations of Cyg X-1 in the hard state by NuSTAR and Suzaku. The same data were analysed before, and modelled by a lamppost containing hybrid electrons and located very close to the horizon, which emission was incident on a surrounding disc extending almost to the innermost stable circular orbit. We re-analyse the incident continuum model and show that it suffers from the lack of physical self-consistency. Still, the good fit to the data provided by this model indicates that the real continuum has a similar shape. We find it features a strong soft X-ray excess below a few keV, which we model as a soft thermal-Comptonization component, in addition to the main hard thermal-Compton component. This continuum model with reflection of both components yields the overall lowest $χ^2$ and has a geometry with a hot inner accretion flow and a disc truncated at $\simeq$13--20 gravitational radii. On the other hand, we have also found spectral solution with a lamppost at a large height and a disc that can extend to the innnermost stable circular orbit, though somewhat statistically worse. Overall, we find the fitted truncation radius depends on the assumed continuum and geometry.

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arXiv2016

Variability study of the High Mass X-ray Binary IGR J18027--2016 with {\it Swift}--XRT

We report the results from pulsations and spectral analysis of a large number of observations of the HMXB pulsar IGR J18027--2016 with {\it Swift}--XRT, carried out at different orbital phases. In some orbital phases, as seen in different XRT observations, the X-ray intensity is found to vary by a large factor, of about $\sim$50. In all the observations with sufficient number of source X-ray photons, pulsations have been detected around the previously known pulse period of $\sim$140 sec, When detected, the pulse profiles do not show any significant variation over a flux difference of a factor of $\sim$3. The absorption column density is found to be large before and after the eclipse. We discuss various possible reasons for intensity and spectral variations in IGR J18027--2016, such as clumpy wind and hydrodynamic instabilities.

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arXiv2016

Orbital evolution and search for eccentricity and apsidal motion in the eclipsing HMXB 4U 1700-37

In the absence of detectable pulsations in the eclipsing High Mass X-ray binary 4U 1700-37, the orbital period decay is necessarily determined from the eclipse timing measurements. We have used the earlier reported mid-eclipse time measurements of 4U 1700-37 together with the new measurements from long term light curves obtained with the all sky monitors RXTE-ASM, Swift-BAT and MAXI-GSC, as well as observations with RXTE-PCA, to measure the long term orbital evolution of the binary. The orbital period decay rate of the system is estimated to be ${\dot{P}}/P = -(4.7 \pm 1.9) \times 10^{-7}$ yr$^{-1}$, smaller compared to its previous estimates. We have also used the mid-eclipse times and the eclipse duration measurements obtained from 10 years long X-ray light-curve with Swift-BAT to separately put constraints on the eccentricity of the binary system and attempted to measure any apsidal motion. For an apsidal motion rate greater than 5 degrees per year, the eccentricity is found to be less than 0.008, which limits our ability to determine the apsidal motion rate from the current data. We discuss the discrepancy of the current limit of eccentricity with the earlier reported values from radial velocity measurements of the companion star.

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arXiv2016

Effects of variability of X-ray binaries on the X-ray luminosity functions of Milky Way

The X-ray luminosity functions of galaxies have become a useful tool for population studies of X-ray binaries in them. The availability of long term light-curves of X-ray binaries with the All Sky X-ray Monitors opens up the possibility of constructing X-ray luminosity functions, by also including the intensity variation effects of the galactic X-ray binaries. We have constructed multiple realizations of the X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) of Milky Way, using the long term light-curves of sources obtained in the 2-10 keV energy band with the RXTE-ASM. The observed spread seen in the value of slope of both HMXB and LMXB XLFs are due to inclusion of variable luminosities of X-ray binaries in construction of these XLFs as well as finite sample effects. XLFs constructed for galactic HMXBs in the luminosity range 10^{36} - 10^{39} erg/sec is described by a power-law model with a mean power-law index of -0.48 and a spread due to variability of HMXBs as 0.19. XLFs constructed for galactic LMXBs in the luminosity range 10^{36} - 10^{39} erg/sec has a shape of cut-off power-law with mean power-law index of -0.31 and a spread due to variability of LMXBs as 0.07.

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arXiv2014

A Suzaku view of IGR J16393-4643

The pulsar IGR J16393-4643 belongs to a class of highly absorbed supergiant HMXBs, characterised by very high column density of absorbing matter. We present the results of the simultaneous broad-band pulsation and spectrum analysis, from a 44 kilosec Suzaku observation of the source. The orbital intensity profile created with the SWIFT-BAT light-curve shows an indication of IGR J16393-4643 being an eclipsing system with a short eclipse semi-angle $θ_{E} \sim$ 17$^{\circ}$. For a supergiant companion star with a 20 R$_{\odot}$ radius, this implies an inclination of the orbital plane in the range of 39$^{\circ}$-57$^{\circ}$, whereas for a main sequence B star as the companion with a 10 R$_{\odot}$ radius, the inclination of the orbital plane is in the range of 60$^{\circ}$-77$^{\circ}$. Pulse profiles created for different energy bands, have complex morphology which shows some energy dependence and increases in pulse fraction with energy. We have also investigated broad-band spectral characteristics, for phase averaged and resolving the pulse phase into peak phase and trough phase. The phase averaged spectrum has a very high N$_{H} (\sim 3 \times 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$) and is described by power-law ($Γ\sim$ 0.9) with a high energy cut-off above 20 keV. We find a change in the spectral index in the peak phase and trough phase, implying an underlying change in the source spectrum.

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arXiv2014

Variations in the pulsation and spectral characteristics of OAO 1657-415

We present broad-band pulsation and spectral characteristics of the accreting X-ray pulsar OAO 1657--415 with a 2.2 d long \emph{Suzaku} observation carried out covering its orbital phase range $\sim$ 0.12--0.34, with respect to the mid-eclipse. During the last third of the observation, the X-ray count rate in both the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (XIS) and the HXD-PIN instruments increased by a factor of more than 10. During this observation, the hardness ratio also changed by a factor of more than 5, uncorrelated with the intensity variations. In two segments of the observation, lasting for $\sim$ 30--50 ks, the hardness ratio is very high. In these segments, the spectrum shows a large absorption column density and correspondingly large equivalent widths of the iron fluorescence lines. We found no conclusive evidence for the presence of a cyclotron line in the broad-band X-ray spectrum with \emph{Suzaku}. The pulse profile, especially in the XIS energy band shows evolution with time but not so with energy. We discuss the nature of the intensity variations, and variations of the absorption column density and emission lines during the duration of the observation as would be expected due to a clumpy stellar wind of the supergiant companion star. These results indicate that OAO 1657--415 has characteristics intermediate to the normal supergiant systems and the systems that show fast X-ray transient phenomena.

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arXiv2014

Orbital phase resolved spectroscopy of GX 301-2 with MAXI

GX 301-2, a bright HMXB with an orbital period of 41.5 days, exhibits stable periodic orbital intensity modulations with a strong pre-periastron X-ray flare. Several models have been proposed to explain the accretion at different orbital phases, invoking accretion via stellar wind, equatorial disk, and accretion stream from the companion star. We present results from exhaustive orbital phase resolved spectroscopic measurements of GX 301-2 using data from the Gas Slit Camera onboard MAXI. Using spectroscopic analysis of the MAXI data with unprecendented orbital coverage for many orbits continuously, we have found a strong orbital dependence of the absorption column density and equivalent width of the iron emission line. A very large equivalent width of the iron line along with a small value of the column density in the orbital phase range 0.10-0.30 after the periastron passage indicates presence of high density absorbing matter behind the neutron star in these orbital phase range. A low energy excess is also found in the spectrum at orbital phases around the pre-periastron X-ray flare. The orbital dependence of these parameters are then used to examine the various models about mode of accretion onto the neutron star in GX 301-2.

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arXiv2013

Average spectral properties of galactic X-ray binaries with 3 years of MAXI data

The energy spectra of X-ray binaries (XRBs) have been investigated during the last few decades with many observatories in different energy bands and with different energy resolutions. However, these studies are carried out in selected states of XRBs like during outbursts, transitions, quiescent states, and are always done in limited time windows of pointed observations. It is now possible to investigate the long term averaged spectra of a large number of X-ray binaries with the all sky monitor MAXI, which also has a broad energy band. Here we present the average spectral behaviour of a few representative XRBs. The long term averaged spectrum of Cyg X-1 is described by a sum of two power-laws having $Γ_{1}$ ~ 2.8 and $Γ_{2}$ ~ 1.2, along with a multi color disk blackbody having an inner disk temperature of 0.5 keV, GX 301-2 is described by a power-law with a high energy cut-off at $E_{c}$ ~ 15 keV and a blackbody component at 0.2 keV and that of Aql X-1 is described by a multi color disk blackbody at 2 keV and a power-law of $Γ$ ~ 2.2. We have also constructed the combined X-ray spectrum of the X-ray binaries in the Milky Way, which can be compared to the XRBs spectra of other galaxies observed with Chandra and XMM-Newton. These measurements are also relevant to investigate the X-ray interaction with the ISM and its contribution to the ionising X-ray background in the early universe.

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