Black Hole Spin via Continuum Fitting and the Role of Spin in Powering Transient Jets

McClintock, Jeffrey E.; Narayan, Ramesh; Steiner, James F.

doi:10.1007/s11214-013-0003-9

Cited by 325 publications

(359 citation statements)

References 150 publications

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“…The GRMHD model thus predicts a larger luminosity than the equivalent Novikov & Thorne (1973) model (see Penna et al 2010;Kulkarni et al 2011;Noble et al 2011;Zhu et al 2012). However, the shape of the spectrum is very similar, suggesting that efforts to measure BH spin by fitting the continuum spectrum of the disc are likely to be reasonably accurate (McClintock et al 2014). The spectra corresponding to the spin 0.9 GRMHD simulation (blue lines) are noticeable hotter for a comparable luminosity, as expected from thin disc theory, and this again validates efforts to measure BH spin using disc continuum spectra.…”

Section: Thin Accretion Discmentioning

confidence: 91%

heroic: 3D general relativistic radiative post-processor with comptonization for black hole accretion discs

Narayan

Zhu

Psaltis

et al. 2016

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

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We describe HEROIC, an upgraded version of the relativistic radiative postprocessor code HERO described in a previous paper, but which now Includes Comptonization. HEROIC models Comptonization via the Kompaneets equation, using a quadratic approximation for the source function in the short characteristics radiation solver. It employs a simple form of accelerated lambda iteration to handle regions of high scattering opacity. In addition to solving for the radiation field, HEROIC also solves for the gas temperature by applying the condition of radiative equilibrium. We present benchmarks and tests of the Comptonization module in HEROIC with simple 1D and 3D scattering problems. We also test the ability of the code to handle various relativistic effects using model atmospheres and accretion flows in a black hole space-time. We present two applications of HEROIC to general relativistic MHD simulations of accretion discs. One application is to a thin accretion disc around a black hole. We find that the gas below the photosphere in the multi-dimensional HEROIC solution is nearly isothermal, quite different from previous solutions based on 1D plane parallel atmospheres. The second application is to a geometrically thick radiation-dominated accretion disc accreting at 11 times the Eddington rate. The multi-dimensional HEROIC solution shows that, for observers who are on axis and look down the polar funnel, the isotropic equivalent luminosity could be more than ten times the Eddington limit, even though the spectrum might still look thermal and show no signs of relativistic beaming.

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Section: Thin Accretion Discmentioning

confidence: 91%

heroic: 3D general relativistic radiative post-processor with comptonization for black hole accretion discs

Narayan

Zhu

Psaltis

et al. 2016

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

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“…Estimates from reflection modeling and disk continuum models do not yet give consistent results regarding spin and inclination. This discrepancy is likely due to different underlying assumptions in the models (for recent reviews of both methods see Reynolds 2014 andMcClintock et al 2014). However, both methods rule out a Schwarzschild (i.e., non-spinning) black hole with high significance (Miller et al 2008;Kolehmainen & Done 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

THE COMPLEX ACCRETION GEOMETRY OF GX 339–4 AS SEEN BYNuSTARANDSWIFT

Fürst

Nowak

Tomsick

et al. 2015

ApJ

109

108

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We present spectral analyses of five Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array and Swift observations of GX 339-4 taken during a failed outburst during the summer of 2013. These observations cover Eddington luminosity fractions in the range ≈0.9%-6%. Throughout this outburst GX 339-4 stayed in the hard state and all five observations show similar X-ray spectra, with a hard power law with a photon index near 1.6, and significant contribution from reflection. Using simple reflection models we find unrealistically high iron abundances. Allowing for different photon indices for the continuum incident on the reflector relative to the underlying observed continuum results in a statistically better fit and reduced iron abundances. With a photon index around 1.3, the input power law on the reflector is significantly harder than that which is directly observed. We study the influence of different emissivity profiles and geometries and consistently find an improvement when using separate photon indices. The inferred inner accretion disk radius is strongly model dependent, but we do not find evidence for a truncation radius larger than r 100 g in any model. The data do not allow independent spin constraints, but the results are consistent with the literature (i.e., a 0 > ). Our best-fit models indicate an inclination angle in the range 40°-60°, consistent with limits on the orbital inclination but higher than reported in the literature using standard reflection models. The iron line around 6.4 keV is clearly broadened, and we detect a superimposed narrow core as well. This core originates from a fluorescent region outside the influence of the strong gravity of the black hole. Additionally, we discuss possible geometries.

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“…At higher Eddington rates the source switches to the high/soft state, where a steeper power law is observed and the thermal accretion disk dominates the soft X-ray spectrum (see, e.g., Remillard & McClintock 2006, for a description of BH states). Compelling evidence exists that in the soft state the accretion disk extends to the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), enabling spin measurements through relativistically smeared reflection features and thermal continuum measurements (e.g., Nowak et al 2002;Miller et al 2002;Steiner et al 2010;McClintock et al 2014;Petrucci et al 2014;Kolehmainen et al 2014;Miller et al 2015;Parker et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

GRS 1739-278 OBSERVED AT VERY LOW LUMINOSITY WITH XMM-NEWTON AND NuSTAR

Tomsick

Yamaoka

Dauser³

et al. 2016

ApJ

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We present a detailed spectral analysis of XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of the accreting transient black hole GRS 1739−278 during a very faint low hard state at ∼0.02% of the Eddington luminosity (for a distance of 8.5 kpc and a mass of 10 M ). The broad-band X-ray spectrum between 0.5-60 keV can be welldescribed by a power law continuum with an exponential cutoff. The continuum is unusually hard for such a low luminosity, with a photon index of Γ = 1.39 ± 0.04. We find evidence for an additional reflection component from an optically thick accretion disk at the 98% likelihood level. The reflection fraction is low with R refl = 0.043 +0.033 −0.023 . In combination with measurements of the spin and inclination parameters made with NuSTAR during a brighter hard state by Miller and co-workers, we seek to constrain the accretion disk geometry. Depending on the assumed emissivity profile of the accretion disk, we find a truncation radius of 15-35 R g (5-12 R ISCO ) at the 90% confidence limit. These values depend strongly on the assumptions and we discuss possible systematic uncertainties.

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Black Hole Spin via Continuum Fitting and the Role of Spin in Powering Transient Jets

Cited by 325 publications

References 150 publications

heroic: 3D general relativistic radiative post-processor with comptonization for black hole accretion discs

heroic: 3D general relativistic radiative post-processor with comptonization for black hole accretion discs

THE COMPLEX ACCRETION GEOMETRY OF GX 339–4 AS SEEN BYNuSTARANDSWIFT

GRS 1739-278 OBSERVED AT VERY LOW LUMINOSITY WITH XMM-NEWTON AND NuSTAR

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