ABSTRACT
Neutron stars accreting from OB supergiants are often divided between persistently and transiently accreting systems, called supergiant X-ray binaries (SgXBs) and supergiant fast X-ray ...transients (SFXTs). This dichotomy in accretion behaviour is typically attributed to systematic differences in the massive stellar wind, binary orbit, or magnetic field configuration, but direct observational evidence for these hypotheses remains sparse. To investigate their stellar winds, we present the results of pilot 100-GHz observations of one SFXT and one SgXB with the Northern Extended Millimetre Array. The SFXT, IGR J18410-0535, is detected as a point source at 63.4 ± 9.6 μJy, while the SgXB, IGR J18410-0535 remains undetected. Radio observations of IGR J18410-0535 imply a flat or inverted low-frequency spectrum, arguing for wind emission and against non-thermal flaring. Due to the uncertain SFXT distance, however, the observations do not necessarily imply a difference between the wind properties of the SFXT and SgXB. We compare the mm constraints with other HMXBs and isolated OB supergiants, before considering how future mm campaigns can constrain HMXB wind properties by including X-ray measurements. Specifically, we discuss caveats and future steps to successfully measure wind mass-loss rates and velocities in HMXBs with coordinated mm, radio, and X-ray campaigns.
ABSTRACT
We present an improved model for excess variance spectra describing ultrafast outflows and successfully apply it to the luminous ($L_{\rm bol}\sim 10^{47}\mathrm{erg}\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}$) ...low-redshift (z = 0.184) quasar Pico del Dias Survey (PDS) 456. The model is able to account well for the broadening of the spike-like features of these outflows in the excess variance spectrum of PDS 456, by considering two effects: a correlation between the outflow velocity and the logarithmic X-ray flux and intrinsic Doppler broadening with $v_\mathrm{int} = 10^4\, \mathrm{km}\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}$. The models were generated by calculating the fractional excess variance of count spectra from a Monte Carlo simulation. We find evidence that the outflow in PDS 456 is structured, i.e. there exist two or more layers with outflow velocities $0.27\!-\!0.30\, c$, $0.41\!-\!0.49\, c$, and $0.15\!-\!0.20\, c$ for a possible third layer, which agrees well with the literature. We discuss the prospects of generally applicable models for excess variance spectra for detecting ultrafast outflows and investigating their structure. We provide an estimate for the strength of the correlation between the outflow velocity and the logarithmic X-ray flux and investigate its validity.
Context.
X-ray pulsars are binary systems which consist of a neutron star in orbit with a mass donor (companion). In these systems the neutron accretes matter from the companion star, which creates ...accretion columns or hot spots on the neutron star surface and gives rise to pulsations in the X-ray light curve. The pulse profiles carry information about the accretion and magnetic field geometry. Here we present a study and classification of energy-resolved pulse profiles of a sample of X-ray pulsars, focusing on high-mass X-ray binaries.
Aims.
Our goal is to perform a classification of X-ray pulsars based on their observed pulse profiles and look for correlations between this classification and their principle physical observables. The analysis pipeline is available online.
Methods.
We analysed the pulse profiles of a sample of X-ray pulsars using data obtained with the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (
XMM-Newton
) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (
NuSTAR
). We fitted the energy-resolved pulse profiles with a Fourier series of up to five harmonics. We then used the energy evolution of the different Fourier components to classify the pulse profiles into groups. We investigated relationships between the pulse profile properties and other observables of the systems (e.g. orbital period, magnetic field strength, and luminosity) to study the extreme physics of these systems.
Results.
The sources were divided into three groups using a classification based on the shape, the dominance of the fitted Fourier harmonics, and their respective evolution with energy. We do not find a conclusive correlation between the pulse profile shapes or groups and other parameters of the systems. However, a weak trend was found when comparing our classification to the sources’ locations in the spin period-orbital period diagram. Further studies are required to confirm this trend.
Conclusions.
Despite the large variety of pulse profiles of the X-ray pulsars, we found that with our approach clear categories emerge which we use to classify their behaviour as a function of energy. As we do not find a clear relationship between our classification scheme and other parameters, like the luminosity, the magnetic field strength, or the orbital and spin periods, we conclude that X-ray pulse profiles are influenced by other hidden variables.
Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are a class of accreting compact objects with X-ray luminosities above 1039 erg s−1. The ULX population counts several hundred objects but only a fraction are well ...studied. Here we present a detailed analysis of all ULXs hosted in the galaxy NGC 7456. It was observed in X-rays only once in the past (in 2005) by XMM-Newton. but the observation was short and strongly affected by high background. In 2018, we obtained a new, deeper (∼90 ks) XMM-Newton observation that allowed us to perform a detailed characterization of the ULXs hosted in the galaxy. ULX-1 and ULX-2, the two brightest objects (LX ∼ 6−10 × 1039 erg s−1), have spectra that can be described by a model with two thermal components, as often found in ULXs. ULX-1 also shows one order of magnitude in flux variability on short-term timescales (hundreds to thousands of kiloseconds). The other sources (ULX-3 and ULX-4) show flux changes of at least an order of magnitude, and these objects may be candidate transient ULXs, although longer X-ray monitoring or further studies are required to ascribe them to the ULX population. In addition, we found a previously undetected source that might be a new candidate ULX (labeled as ULX-5), with a luminosity of ∼1039 erg s−1 and hard power-law spectral shape, whose nature is still unclear and for which a background active galactic nucleus cannot be excluded. We discuss the properties of all the ULXs in NGC 7456 within the framework of super-Eddington accretion onto stellar-mass compact objects. Although no pulsations were detected, we cannot exclude that the sources host neutron stars.
Context.
We present a ~130 ks observation of the prototypical wind-accreting, high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1 collected with
XMM-Newton
at orbital phases between 0.12 and 0.28. A strong flare took ...place during the observation that allows us to investigate the reaction of the clumpy stellar wind to the increased X-ray irradiation.
Aims.
To examine the wind’s reaction to the flare, we performed both time-averaged and time-resolved analyses of the RGS spectrum and examined potential spectral changes.
Methods.
We focused on the high-resolution
XMM-Newton
RGS spectra and divided the observation into pre-flare, flare, and post-flare phases. We modeled the time-averaged and time-resolved spectra with phenomenological components and with the self-consistent photoionization models calculated via
CLOUDY
and
XSTAR
in the pre-flare phase, where strong emission lines due to resonant transitions of highly ionized ions are seen.
Results.
In the spectra, we find emission lines corresponding to K-shell transitions in highly charged ions of oxygen, neon, magnesium, and silicon as well as radiative recombination continua (RRC) of oxygen. Additionally, we observe potential absorption lines of magnesium at a lower ionization stage and features identified as iron L lines. The
CLOUDY
and
XSTAR
photoionization models provide contradictory results, either pointing towards uncertainties in theory or possibly a more complex multi-phase plasma, or both.
Conclusions.
We are able to demonstrate the existence of a plethora of variable narrow features, including the firm detection of oxygen lines and RRC that RGS enables to observe in this source for the first time. We show that Vela X-1 is an ideal source for future high-resolution missions, such as
XRISM
and
Athena
.
AbstractWe present results from a coordinated XMM-Newton+NuSTAR observation of the type 1.8 Seyfert galaxy IRAS 13197-1627. This is a highly complex source, with strong contributions from ...relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disc, neutral absorption and further reprocessing by more distant material, and ionized absorption from an outflow. We undertake a detailed spectral analysis combining the broad-band coverage provided by XMM-Newton+NuSTAR with a multi-epoch approach incorporating archival observations performed by XMM-Newton and Suzaku. Our focus is on characterizing the reflection from the inner accretion disc, which previous works have suggested may dominate the AGN emission, and constraining the black hole spin. Using lamppost disc reflection models, we find that the results for the inner disc are largely insensitive to assumptions regarding the geometry of the distant reprocessor and the precise form of the illuminating X-ray continuum. However, these results do depend on the treatment of the iron abundance of the distant absorber/reprocessor. The multi-epoch data favour a scenario in which the AGN is chemically homogeneous, and we find that a rapidly rotating black hole is preferred, with a* ≥ 0.7, but a slowly rotating black hole is not strongly excluded. In addition to the results for the inner disc, we also find that both the neutral and ionized absorbers vary from epoch to epoch, implying that both have some degree of inhomogeneity in their structure.
Context.
Vela X-1, a prototypical high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB), hosts a neutron star (NS) in a close orbit around an early-B supergiant donor star. Accretion of the donor star's wind onto the NS ...powers its strong X-ray luminosity. To understand the physics of HMXBs, detailed knowledge about the donor star winds is required.
Aims.
To gain a realistic picture of the donor star in Vela X-1, we constructed a hydrodynamically consistent atmosphere model describing the wind stratification while properly reproducing the observed donor spectrum. To investigate how X-ray illumination affects the stellar wind, we calculated additional models for different X-ray luminosity regimes.
Methods.
We used the recently updated version of the Potsdam Wolf–Rayet code to consistently solve the hydrodynamic equation together with the statistical equations and the radiative transfer.
Results.
The wind flow in Vela X-1 is driven by ions from various elements, with Fe
iii
and S
iii
leading in the outer wind. The model-predicted mass-loss rate is in line with earlier empirical studies. The mass-loss rate is almost unaffected by the presence of the accreting NS in the wind. The terminal wind velocity is confirmed at
v
∞
≈ 600 km s
−1
. On the other hand, the wind velocity in the inner region where the NS is located is only ≈100 km s
−1
, which is not expected on the basis of a standard
β
-velocity law. In models with an enhanced level of X-rays, the velocity field in the outer wind can be altered. If the X-ray flux is too high, the acceleration breaks down because the ionization increases.
Conclusions.
Accounting for radiation hydrodynamics, our Vela X-1 donor atmosphere model reveals a low wind speed at the NS location, and it provides quantitative information on wind driving in this important HMXB.
Context.
The Vela X-1 system is one of the best-studied X-ray binaries because it was detected early, has persistent X-ray emission, and a rich phenomenology at many wavelengths. The system is ...frequently quoted as the archetype of wind-accreting high-mass X-ray binaries, and its parameters are referred to as typical examples. Specific values for these parameters have frequently been used in subsequent studies, however, without full consideration of alternatives in the literature, even more so when results from one field of astronomy (e.g., stellar wind parameters) are used in another (e.g., X-ray astronomy). The issues and considerations discussed here for this specific, very well-known example will apply to various other X-ray binaries and to the study of their physics.
Aims.
We provide a robust compilation and synthesis of the accumulated knowledge about Vela X-1 as a solid baseline for future studies, adding new information where available. Because this overview is targeted at a broader readership, we include more background information on the physics of the system and on methods than is usually done. We also attempt to identify specific avenues of future research that could help to clarify open questions or determine certain parameters better than is currently possible.
Methods.
We explore the vast literature for Vela X-1 and on modeling efforts based on this system or close analogs. We describe the evolution of our knowledge of the system over the decades and provide overview information on the essential parameters. We also add information derived from public data or catalogs to the data taken from the literature, especially data from the
Gaia
EDR3 release.
Results.
We derive an updated distance to Vela X-1 and update the spectral classification for HD 77518. At least around periastron, the supergiant star may be very close to filling its Roche lobe. Constraints on the clumpiness of the stellar wind from the supergiant star have improved, but discrepancies persist. The orbit is in general very well determined, but a slight difference exists between the latest ephemerides. The orbital inclination remains the least certain factor and contributes significantly to the uncertainty in the neutron star mass. Estimates for the stellar wind terminal velocity and acceleration law have evolved strongly toward lower velocities over the years. Recent results with wind velocities at the orbital distance in the range of or lower than the orbital velocity of the neutron star support the idea of transient wind-captured disks around the neutron star magnetosphere, for which observational and theoretical indications have emerged. Hydrodynamic models and observations are consistent with an accretion wake trailing the neutron star.
Conclusions.
With its extremely rich multiwavelength observational data and wealth of related theoretical studies, Vela X-1 is an excellent laboratory for exploring the physics of accreting X-ray binaries, especially in high-mass systems. Nevertheless, much room remains to improve the accumulated knowledge. On the observational side, well-coordinated multiwavelength observations and observing campaigns addressing the intrinsic variability are required. New opportunities will arise through new instrumentation, from optical and near-infrared interferometry to the upcoming X-ray calorimeters and X-ray polarimeters. Improved models of the stellar wind and flow of matter should account for the non-negligible effect of the orbital eccentricity and the nonspherical shape of HD 77581. There is a need for realistic multidimensional models of radiative transfer in the UV and X-rays in order to better understand the wind acceleration and effect of ionization, but these models remain very challenging. Improved magnetohydrodynamic models covering a wide range of scales are required to improve our understanding of the plasma-magnetosphere coupling, and they are thus a key factor for understanding the variability of the X-ray flux and the torques applied to the neutron star. A full characterization of the X-ray emission from the accretion column remains another so far unsolved challenge.
High-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) offer a unique opportunity to investigate accretion onto compact objects and the wind structure in massive stars. A key source for such studies is the bright neutron ...star HMXB Vela X-1 whose convenient physical and orbital parameters facilitate analyses and in particular enable studies of the wind structure in HMXBs. Here, we analyse simultaneous
XMM-Newton
and
NuSTAR
observations at
ϕ
orb
≈ 0.36–0.52 and perform time-resolved spectral analysis down to the pulse period of the neutron star based on our previous NuSTAR-only results. For the first time, we are able to trace the onset of the wakes in a broad 0.5–78 keV range with a high-time resolution of ~283 s and compare our results with theoretical predictions. We observe a clear rise in the absorption column density of the stellar wind
N
H,1
starting at orbital phase ~0.44, corresponding to the wake structure entering our line of sight towards the neutron star, together with local extrema throughout the observation, which are possibly associated with clumps or other structures in the wind. Periods of high absorption reveal the presence of multiple fluorescent emission lines of highly ionised species, mainly in the soft-X-ray band between 0.5 and 4 keV, indicating photoionisation of the wind.
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