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Probing the outer edge of an accretion disk : a Her X-1 turn-on observed with RXTE

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Kuster, M., Wilms, J., Staubert, R., Heindl, W. A., Rothschild, Richard E., Shakura, N. I. and Postnov, K. A.. (2005) Probing the outer edge of an accretion disk : a Her X-1 turn-on observed with RXTE. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol.443 (No.3). pp. 753-767. ISSN 0004-6361

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20042355

Abstract

We present the analysis of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the turn-on phase of a 35 day cycle of the X-ray binary Her X-1. During the early phases of the turn-on, the energy spectrum is composed of X-rays scattered into the line of sight plus heavily absorbed X-rays. The energy spectra in the 3–17 keV range can be described by a partial covering model, where one of the components is influenced by photoelectric absorption and Thomson scattering in cold material plus an iron emission line at 6.5 keV. In this paper we show the evolution of spectral parameters as well as the evolution of the pulse profile during the turn-on. We describe this evolution using Monte Carlo simulations which self-consistently describe the evolution of the X-ray pulse profile and of the energy spectrum.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

Q Science > QB Astronomy

Divisions:

Faculty of Science > Physics

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Double stars, X-ray sources, Galactic -- Accretion, Pulsars, Accretion (Astrophysics)

Journal or Publication Title:

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Publisher:

EDP Sciences

ISSN:

0004-6361

Official Date:

December 2005

Dates:

Date	Event
December 2005	Published

Volume:

Vol.443

Number:

No.3

Page Range:

pp. 753-767

Identification Number:

10.1051/0004-6361:20042355

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

Funder:

Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF)

Grant number:

50 OX0002 (DLR), 50 OR0302 (DLR), Sta 173/31-1 (DFG), PST.CL975254 (NATO), NAS5-30720 (NASA), NSF_INT- 9815741 (NSF), NSF_INT-0003773 (NSF)

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