Black Hole Spin in X-Ray Binaries: Observational Consequences

Zhang, S. N.; Cui, Wei; Chen, Wan

doi:10.1086/310705

Cited by 578 publications

(581 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…A suggestion to explain the state transitions in Cyg X-1, first made by and later on by Zhang et al (1997), is that they are produced by the reversal of the disk rotation. This would occur due to the unstable nature of the stellar wind from the primary star feeding the accretion.…”

Section: Comparisons With Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the 0.01–25 Hz power spectral components in Cygnus X-1

Axelsson¹,

Borgonovo²,

Larsson³

2005

A&A

112

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Abstract. Analyzing the archival data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), we study the power density spectra (PDS) of Cygnus X-1 from 1996 to 2003 in the frequency range of 0.01-25 Hz. Using a model consisting of one or two Lorentzians and/or an exponentially cut-off power-law, we are able to achieve a good fit to the PDS during the observations. With our model we are also able to track the evolution of the Lorentzian components through all spectral states of the source. We confirm the relation between characteristic frequencies seen both in black hole candidate and neutron star sources, and show the changes in this relation during the transitional and soft states of the source. The connection between the Lorentzian components is investigated by analyzing similarities and differences in their behavior. We find that the spectral state of the source can be uniquely determined from the parameters of these components. The parameter correlations can all be described by continuous functions, which differ between components. We discuss our results in the context of relativistic precession model for the accretion disk, and show a remarkable agreement between the model prediction and the data in the hard state. We estimate a value for the specific angular momentum of a * = 0.49 (−0.57) in the case of prograde (retrograde) rotation and an estimate for the inner radius of 22 to 50 (25 to 55) gravitational radii. Additional assumptions are required to explain the soft state data, and attempting to invoke rotational reversal for state transitions shows that it is insufficient to explain the differences between the hard and soft state data.

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Section: Comparisons With Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the 0.01–25 Hz power spectral components in Cygnus X-1

Axelsson¹,

Borgonovo²,

Larsson³

2005

A&A

112

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“…Meanwhile, the spins of supermassive BHs also have been measured (Brenneman & Reynolds 2006;Miniutti et al 2007). The only two methods presently available to measure BH spin are via modeling the thermal continuum spectrum of a BH accretion disk, as pioneered by Zhang et al (1997), or by modeling the profile of a relativistically broadened Fe K fluorescence line, as demonstrated by Tanaka et al (1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring Black Hole Spin via the X-Ray Continuum-Fitting Method: Beyond the Thermal Dominant State

Steiner

McClintock

Remillard

et al. 2009

ApJ

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All prior work on measuring the spins of stellar-mass black holes (BHs) via the X-ray continuum-fitting (CF) method has relied on the use of weakly Comptonized spectra obtained in the thermal dominant (TD) state. Using a self-consistent Comptonization model, we show that one can analyze spectra that exhibit strong power-law components and obtain values of the inner disk radius, and hence spin, that are consistent with those obtained in the TD state. Specifically, we analyze many RXTE spectra of two BH transients, H1743−322 and XTE J1550−564, and we demonstrate that the radius of the inner edge of the accretion disk remains constant to within a few percent as the strength of the Comptonized component increases by an order of magnitude, i.e., as the fraction of the thermal seed photons that are scattered approaches 25%. We conclude that the CF method can be applied to a much wider body of data than previously thought possible, and to sources that have never been observed to enter the TD state (e.g., Cyg X-1).

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“…Based on its X-ray properties GRS 1915+105 is suspected to be the most massive stellar black hole candidate in the Galaxy (Morgan et al 1997). It is one of only two galactic sources which are thought to contain a maximally spinning black hole (Zhang et al 1997). It is therefore of great importance to know some details about the system components in order to understand the conditions which lead to the unique X-ray, radio, and IR characteristics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of the donor in the X-ray binary GRS 1915+105

Greiner

Cuby²,

McCaughrean

et al. 2001

A&A

110

103

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Abstract. We report on the results of medium-resolution spectroscopy of GRS 1915+105 in the near-infrared H and K band using the 8 m VLT at ESO. We clearly identify absorption bandheads from 12 CO and 13 CO. Together with other features this results in a classification of the mass-donating star in this binary as a K-M III star, clearly indicating that GRS 1915+105 belongs to the class of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXB).

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Black Hole Spin in X-Ray Binaries: Observational Consequences

Cited by 578 publications

References 24 publications

Evolution of the 0.01–25 Hz power spectral components in Cygnus X-1

Evolution of the 0.01–25 Hz power spectral components in Cygnus X-1

Measuring Black Hole Spin via the X-Ray Continuum-Fitting Method: Beyond the Thermal Dominant State

Identification of the donor in the X-ray binary GRS 1915+105

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