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Multistate observations of the galactic black hole XTE J1752−223 : evidence for an intermediate black hole spin

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Reis, R. C., Miller, J. M., Fabian, A. C., 1948-, Cackett, E. M., Maitra, D., Reynolds, C. S., Rupen, M., Steeghs, D. (Danny), 1972- and Wijnands, R.. (2010) Multistate observations of the galactic black hole XTE J1752−223 : evidence for an intermediate black hole spin. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol.410 (No.4). pp. 2497-2505. ISSN 0035-8711

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17628.x

Abstract

The Galactic black hole candidate XTE J1752-223 was observed during the decay of its 2009 outburst with the Suzaku and XMM-Newton observatories. The observed spectra are consistent with the source being in the 'intermediate' and 'low-hard' states, respectively. The presence of a strong, relativistic iron emission line is clearly detected in both observations and the line profiles are found to be remarkably consistent and robust to a variety of continuum models. This strongly points to the compact object in XTE J1752-223 being a stellar mass black hole accretor and not a neutron star. Physically motivated and self-consistent reflection models for the Fe K alpha emission-line profile and disc reflection spectrum rule out either a non-rotating, Schwarzschild black hole or a maximally rotating, Kerr black hole at greater than 3 sigma level of confidence. Using a fully relativistic line function in which the black hole spin parameter is a variable, we have formally constrained the spin parameter to be 0.52 +/- 0.11(1 sigma). Furthermore, we show that the source in the low-hard state still requires an optically thick disc component having a luminosity which is consistent with the L proportional to T(4) relation expected for a thin disc extending down to the innermost stable circular orbit. Our result is in contrast to the prevailing paradigm that the disc is truncated in the low-hard state.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Black holes (Astronomy)
Journal or Publication Title:	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0035-8711
Date:	2010
Volume:	Vol.410
Number:	No.4
Page Range:	pp. 2497-2505
Identification Number:	10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17628.x
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Science and Technology Facilities Council (Great Britain) (STFC), Royal Society (Great Britain), United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF)
Grant number:	AST 06-07428 (NSF)
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/41877