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A long, hard look at the low/hard state in accreting black holes
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Miller, J. M., Homan, J., Steeghs, D., Rupen, M., Hunstead, R. W., Wijnands, R., Charles, P. A. and Fabian, A. C. (2006) A long, hard look at the low/hard state in accreting black holes. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol.653 (No.1). pp. 525-535. doi:10.1086/508644
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WRAP_STeeghs_Long_hard_look_0602633v2.pdf - Accepted Version Download (688Kb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/508644
Abstract
We present the first results of coordinated multiwavelength observations of the Galactic black hole GX 339-4 in a canonical low/hard state, obtained during its 2004 outburst. XMM-Newton observed the source for two revolutions, or approximately 280 ks; RXTE monitored the source throughout this long stare. The resulting data offer the best view yet obtained of the inner accretion flow geometry in the low/hard state, which is thought to be analogous to the geometry in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. The XMM-Newton spectra clearly reveal the presence of a cool accretion disk component and a relativistic Fe K emission line. The results of fits made to both components strongly suggest that a standard thin disk remains at or near to the innermost stable circular orbit, at least in bright phases of the low/hard state. These findings indicate that potential links between the inner disk radius and the onset of a steady compact jet, and the paradigm of a radially recessed disk in the low/hard state, do not hold universally. The results of our observations can best be explained if a standard thin accretion disk fuels a corona that is closely related to, or consistent with, the base of a compact jet. In a brief examination of archival data, we show that Cygnus X-1 supports this picture of the low/hard state. We discuss our results within the context of disk-jet connections and prevailing models for accretion onto black holes.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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| Subjects: | Q Science > QB Astronomy | ||||
| Divisions: | Faculty of Science > Physics | ||||
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Black holes (Astronomy) | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | The Astrophysical Journal | ||||
| Publisher: | Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd. | ||||
| ISSN: | 0004-637X | ||||
| Official Date: | 2006 | ||||
| Dates: |
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| Volume: | Vol.653 | ||||
| Number: | No.1 | ||||
| Page Range: | pp. 525-535 | ||||
| DOI: | 10.1086/508644 | ||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
| Funder: | United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, European Space Agency (ESA), Australia |
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