ALBERT

Description: We report on the discovery of mHz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) from the high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) IGR J19140+0951, during a 40 ks XMM–Newton observation performed in 2015, which caught the source in its faintest state ever observed. At the start of the observation, IGR J19140+0951 was at a low flux of 2 x 10 –12  erg cm –2  s –1 (2–10 keV; L X = 3 x 10 33  erg s –1 at 3.6 kpc), then its emission rose reaching a flux ~10 times higher, in a flare-like activity. The investigation of the power spectrum reveals the presence of QPOs, detected only in the second part of the observation, with a strong peak at a frequency of 1.46 ± 0.07 mHz, together with higher harmonics. The X-ray spectrum is highly absorbed ( N H = 10 23  cm –2 ), well fitted by a power law with a photon index in the range 1.2–1.8. The re-analysis of a Chandra archival observation shows a modulation at ~0.17 ± 0.05 mHz, very likely the neutron-star spin period (although a QPO cannot be excluded). We discuss the origin of the 1.46 mHz QPO in the framework of both disc-fed and wind-fed HMXBs, favouring the quasi-spherical accretion scenario. The low flux observed by XMM–Newton leads to about three orders of magnitude the source dynamic range, overlapping with the one observed from Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXTs). However, since its duty cycle is not as low as in SFXTs, IGR J19140+0951 is an intermediate system between persistent supergiant HMXBs and SFXTs, suggesting a smooth transition between these two sub-classes.

Description: We present unpublished data from a tidal disruption candidate in NGC 3599 which show that the galaxy was already X-ray bright 18 months before the measurement which led to its classification. This removes the possibility that the flare was caused by a classical, fast-rising, short-peaked, tidal disruption event. Recent relativistic simulations indicate that the majority of disruptions will actually take months or years to rise to a peak, which will then be maintained for longer than previously thought. NGC 3599 could be one of the first identified examples of such an event. The optical spectra of NGC 3599 indicate that it is a low-luminosity Seyfert/low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER) with L bol  ~ 10 40 erg s –1 . The flare may alternatively be explained by a thermal instability in the accretion disc, which propagates through the inner region at the sound speed, causing an increase of the disc scaleheight and local accretion rate. This can explain the ≤9 yr rise time of the flare. If this mechanism is correct then the flare may repeat on a time-scale of several decades as the inner disc is emptied and refilled.

Description: On 2015 June 15, the black hole X-ray binary V404 Cygni went into outburst, exhibiting extreme X-ray variability which culminated in a final flare on June 26. Over the following days, the Swift -X-ray Telescope detected a series of bright rings, comprising five main components that expanded and faded with time, caused by X-rays scattered from the otherwise unobservable dust layers in the interstellar medium in the direction of the source. Simple geometrical modelling of the rings’ angular evolution reveals that they have a common temporal origin, coincident with the final, brightest flare seen by INTEGRAL 's JEM X-1, which reached a 3–10 keV flux of ~25 Crab. The high quality of the data allows the dust properties and density distribution along the line of sight to the source to be estimated. Using the Rayleigh–Gans approximation for the dust scattering cross-section and a power-law distribution of grain sizes a , a – q , the average dust emission is well modelled by $q = 3.90^{+0.09}_{-0.08}$ and maximum grain size of $a_+ = 0.147^{+0.024}_{-0.004} {\rm \ \mu m}$ , though significant variations in q are seen between the rings. The recovered dust density distribution shows five peaks associated with the dense sheets responsible for the rings at distances ranging from 1.19 to 2.13 kpc, with thicknesses of ~40–80 pc and a maximum density occurring at the location of the nearest sheet. We find a dust column density of N dust (2.0–2.5)  x  10 11 cm –2 , consistent with the optical extinction to the source. Comparison of the inner rings’ azimuthal X-ray evolution with archival Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-IR data suggests that the second most distant ring follows the general IR emission trend, which increases in brightness towards the Galactic north side of the source.

Description: We present a systematic analysis of the complete set of observations of the black hole (BH) binary XTE J1550-564 obtained by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer . We study the fast time variability properties of the source and determine the spin of the BH through the relativistic precession model. Similarly to what is observed in the BH binary GRO J1655-40, the frequencies of the QPOs and broad-band noise components match the general relativistic frequencies of particle motion close to the compact object predicted by the relativistic precession model. The combination of two simultaneously observed quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) frequencies together with the dynamical BH mass from optical/infrared observations yields a spin equal to a = 0.34 ± 0.01, consistent with previous determinations from X-ray spectroscopy. Based on the derived BH parameters, the low-frequency QPO emission radii vary from ~30 gravitational radii ( R g ) to the innermost stable orbit for this spin (~5 R g ), where they sharply disappear as observed for the case of GRO J1655-40.

Description: We present a systematic study of the orbital inclination effects on black hole transients fast time-variability properties. We have considered all the black hole binaries that have been densely monitored by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer satellite. We find that the amplitude of low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) depends on the orbital inclination. type-C QPOs are stronger for nearly edge-on systems (high inclination), while type-B QPOs are stronger when the accretion disc is closer to face-on (low inclination). Our results also suggest that the noise associated with type-C QPOs is consistent with being stronger for low-inclination sources, while the noise associated with type-B QPOs seems inclination independent. These results are consistent with a geometric origin of the type-C QPOs – for instance arising from relativistic precession of the inner flow within a truncated disc – while the noise would correspond to intrinsic brightness variability from mass accretion rate fluctuations in the accretion flow. The opposite behaviour of type-B QPOs – stronger in low-inclinations sources – supports the hypothesis that type-B QPOs are related to the jet, the power of which is the most obvious measurable parameter expected to be stronger in nearly face-on sources.

Description: We have systematically studied a large sample of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) monitored by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (50 sources; 10000+ observations). We find that the hysteresis patterns between Compton-dominated and thermal-dominated states, typically observed in black hole LMXBs, are also common in neutron star systems. These patterns, which also sample intermediate states, are found when looking at the evolution of both X-ray colour and fast variability of 10 systems accreting below ~30 per cent of the Eddington luminosity ( L Edd ). We show that hysteresis does not require large changes in luminosity and it is the natural form that state transitions take at these luminosities. At higher accretion rates, neutron stars do not show hysteresis, and they remain in a thermal-dominated, low-variability state, characterized by flaring behaviour and fast colour changes. Only at luminosities close to L Edd , are high variability levels seen again, in correspondence to an increase in the fractional contribution of the Comptonization component. We compare this behaviour with that observed in LMXBs harbouring black holes, showing that the spectral, timing and multiwavelength properties of a given source can be determined by its location in the fast variability–luminosity diagram, which, therefore, provides a common framework for neutron star and black hole accretion states.

Description: Quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) with frequencies from ~0.05to30 Hz are a common feature in the X-ray emission of accreting black hole binaries. As the QPOs originate from the innermost accretion flow, they provide the opportunity to probe the behaviour of matter in extreme gravity. In this paper, we present a systematic analysis of the inclination dependence of phase lags associated with both type-B and type-C QPOs in a sample of 15 Galactic black hole binaries. We find that the phase lag at the type-C QPO frequency strongly depends on inclination, both in evolution with the QPO frequency and sign. Although we find that the type-B QPO soft lags are associated with high-inclination sources, the source sample is too small to confirm that this as a significant inclination dependence. These results are consistent with a geometrical origin of type-C QPOs and a different origin for type-B and type-C QPOs. We discuss the possibility that the phase lags originate from a pivoting spectral power law during each QPO cycle, while the inclination dependence arises from differences in dominant relativistic effects. We also search for energy dependences in the type-C QPO frequency. We confirm this effect in the three known sources (GRS 1915+105, H1743–322 and XTE J1550–564) and newly detect it in XTE J1859+226. Lastly, our results indicate that the unknown inclination sources XTE J1859+226 and MAXI J1543–564 are most consistent with a high inclination.

Description: We present a systematic analysis of the fast time variability properties of the transient black hole binary GRO J1655–40, based on the complete set of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations. We demonstrate that the frequencies of the quasi-periodic oscillations and of the broad-band noise components and their variations match accurately the strong field general relativistic frequencies of particle motion in the close vicinity of the innermost stable circular orbit, as predicted by the relativistic precession model.We obtain high-precision measurements of the black hole mass [ M = (5.31 ± 0.07) M , consistent with the value from optical/NIR observations] and spin ( a = 0.290 ± 0.003), through the sole use of X-ray timing.

Description: We report on the discovery with Chandra of a strong modulation (~90 per cent pulsed fraction) at ~6.4 h from the source CXOU J123030.3+413853 in the star-forming, low-metallicity spiral galaxy NGC 4490, which is interacting with the irregular companion NGC 4485. This modulation, confirmed also by XMM–Newton observations, is interpreted as the orbital period of a binary system. The spectra from the Chandra and XMM–Newton observations can be described by a power-law model with photon index ~ 1.5. During these observations, which span from 2000 November to 2008 May, the source showed a long-term luminosity variability by a factor of ~5, between ~2 10 38 and 1.1 10 39 erg s –1 (for a distance of 8 Mpc). The maximum X-ray luminosity, exceeding by far the Eddington limit of a neutron star, indicates that the accretor is a black hole. Given the high X-ray luminosity, the short orbital period and the morphology of the orbital light curve, we favour an interpretation of CXOU J123030.3+413853 as a rare high-mass X-ray binary system with a Wolf–Rayet star as a donor, similar to Cyg X–3. This would be the fourth system of this kind known in the local Universe. CXOU J123030.3+413853 can also be considered as a transitional object between high-mass X-ray binaries and ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), the study of which may reveal how the properties of persistent black hole binaries evolve entering the ULX regime.