Kilohertz QPO Frequency Anti-Correlated with mHz QPO Flux in 4U 1608-52
We analysed {\it Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer} (RXTE) data of the low-mass X-ray binary and atoll source 4U 1608-52 obtained on March 3, 1996 in which the source simultaneously showed a strong single kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) around 840 Hz, and a 7.5 mHz QPO detected at energies below 5 keV. We find that the frequency of the kHz QPO is approximately anti-correlated with the 2--5 keV X-ray count rate associated with the mHz QPO. The average kHz QPO frequency varies by about 0.6 Hz (0.07%) during a mHz QPO cycle over which the average 2--5 keV count rate varies by about 60 c/s (4%). This is opposite to the frequency-count rate correlation observed in the same data on longer time scales and hence constitutes the first example of a sign reversal in the frequency-flux correlation related to the origin of the flux. Such a sign reversal is predicted by the radiative disk truncation model for the case where the flux variations originate on the neutron star but are not due to disk accretion rate fluctuations. The results support the nuclear burning interpretation of the mHz QPO, and the interpretation of the kHz QPO frequency as an indicator of the orbital frequency at the inner edge of the accretion disk. The varying radiative stresses on the inner disk exerted by the flux due to the quasi-periodic nuclear burning lead to changes in the inner disk radius and hence to the observed anti-correlation between kHz QPO frequency and X-ray count rate. There is a time lag of about ten seconds of the X-ray count rate relative to the kHz QPO frequency in terms of the anti-correlation we found between these two quantities, which could be caused by the propagation of the nuclear burning front on the neutron star away from the equatorial region.