Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Feb 1985
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1985ssrv...40..233h&link_type=abstract
(ESA, ESLAB Symposium on X-Ray Astronomy in the EXOSAT Era, 18th, The Hague, Netherlands, Nov. 5-9, 1984) Space Science Reviews
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
17
Exosat Satellite, Stellar Flares, Stellar Spectrophotometry, X Ray Binaries, Black Body Radiation, Bremsstrahlung, Compton Effect, Cygnus Constellation, Emission Spectra, Iron, Line Spectra, Periodic Variations, Raster Scanning, Spaceborne Astronomy, Spectral Energy Distribution, Spectrum Analysis, Thermal Radiation
Scientific paper
On July 5-6, 1983, during the Exosat performance verification (PV) and calibration phase, a raster scan of Cygnus X-2 was performed. In contrast to the previously observed smooth intensity variations on timescales of hours, the source revealed a behavior unknown until now: active periods with high energy flares recurring on timescales of 300-500 s were interrupted by quiet periods of several hours. At all intensity levels the source spectra clearly require a two component continuum (blackbody + thermal bremsstrahlung). In addition, a weak iron emission line with equivalent widths between 39 and 70 eV was detected. The source has a much harder spectrum during the flares than during quiet periods, indicating drastic temperature changes within the emission region, while the absolute iron line flux does not vary. From the spectral characteristics it becomes clear that self-Comptonization of the thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum plays an important role. The time variability and spectral behavior in this peculiar state allows Cyg X-2 to be classified as a Low Mass X-ray Binary System (LMXB) very similar to the prototype of this class, Sco X-1.
Hasinger Guenter
Langmeier Andreas
Pietsch Wolfgang
Sztajno Mirek
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