Revealing the Focused Companion Wind in Cygnus X-1 with Chandra

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

10 pages, 7 color figures, uses emulateapj.sty and apjfonts.sty. Submitted to ApJ

Scientific paper

10.1086/426701

We have analyzed a Chandra HETGS spectrum of the Galactic black hole Cygnus X-1, obtained at a source flux which is approximately twice that commonly observed in its persistent low-intensity, spectrally-hard state. We find a myriad of absorption lines in the spectrum, including Ly-alpha lines and helium-like resonance lines from Ne, Na, Mg, and Si. We calculate a flux-weighted mean red-shift of ~100 km/s and a flux-weighted mean velocity width of 800 km/s (FWHM) for lines from these elements. We also detect a number of transitions from Fe XVIII-XXIV and Ni XIX-XX in absorption; however, the identification of these lines is less certain and a greater range of shifts and breadth is measured. Our observation occurred at a binary phase of phi = 0.76; the lines observed are consistent with absorption in an ionized region of the supergiant O9.7 Iab companion wind. The spectrum is extremely complicated in that a range of temperatures and densities are implied. Prior Chandra HETGS spectra of Cygnus X-1 were obtained in a similar transition state (at phi = 0.93) and in the low/hard state (at phi= 0.84). Considered together, these spectra provide evidence for a companion wind that is focused as it flows onto the black hole primary in this system.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Revealing the Focused Companion Wind in Cygnus X-1 with Chandra does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Revealing the Focused Companion Wind in Cygnus X-1 with Chandra, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Revealing the Focused Companion Wind in Cygnus X-1 with Chandra will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-649304

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.