Irradiation of an accretion disc by a jet: general properties and implications for spin measurements of black holes

Dauser, Robert C.; Garcia, J. Rodriguez; Wilms, J.; Böck, M.; Brenneman, Laura; Falanga, M.; Fukumura, Keigo; Reynolds, C. S.

doi:10.1093/mnras/sts710

Cited by 374 publications

(519 citation statements)

References 102 publications

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“…A change in the coronal parameters with height will therefore result in an observed continuum with a different spectral index than the one incident to the reflector. This effect is most relevant if the corona extends close to the black hole, where relativistic effects are the strongest (Dauser et al 2013).…”

Section: Accretion Geometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Fürst

Nowak

Tomsick

et al. 2015

ApJ

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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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Section: Accretion Geometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Fürst

Nowak

Tomsick

et al. 2015

ApJ

Self Cite

109

108

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“…These models include line emission for spins ranging from maximal retrograde through to maximal prograde (RELLINE: Dauser et al 2010) and incorporate limb-darkening, limb brightening and is similar in output to previous models including KERRDISK and KYRLINE (Dovčiak, Karas & Yaqoob 2004) but is evaluated over a finer energy grid than LAOR. This model has been adapted to act as a convolution kernel (RELCONV) for the entire spectrum which, when combined with XILLVER allows the entire reflection spectrum to be calculated with a prescribed emissivity law (RELXILL: Dauser et al 2013). Using this last model, Dauser et al (2014) showed that, by considering the additional spin-dependence of the reflected fraction (which most models do not account for), it becomes possible to place increasingly stringent constraints on the spin by discounting unphysical solutions (see also Parker et al 2014), although consideration of distant, neutral reflection may complicate matters somewhat.…”

Section: Next-generation Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Black Hole Spin: Theory and Observation

Middleton¹

2016

Astrophysics of Black Holes

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In the standard paradigm, astrophysical black holes can be described solely by their mass and angular momentum -commonly referred to as 'spin' -resulting from the process of their birth and subsequent growth via accretion. Whilst the mass has a standard Newtonian interpretation, the spin does not, with the effect of non-zero spin leaving an indelible imprint on the space-time closest to the black hole. As a consequence of relativistic frame-dragging, particle orbits are affected both in terms of stability and precession, which impacts on the emission characteristics of accreting black holes both stellar mass in black hole binaries (BHBs) and supermassive in active galactic nuclei (AGN). Over the last 30 years, techniques have been developed that take into account these changes to estimate the spin which can then be used to understand the birth and growth of black holes and potentially the powering of powerful jets. In this chapter we provide a broad overview of both the theoretical effects of spin, the means by which it can be estimated and the results of ongoing campaigns.

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“…While this is a simplified geometry in which the corona is assumed to be a point source on the spin axis at a given height H above the BH (see, e.g., Dauser et al 2013), it is the only geometry where the reflection fraction can be calculated self-consistently based on ray-tracing calculations. Table 1.…”

Section: Spectral Analysismentioning

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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Irradiation of an accretion disc by a jet: general properties and implications for spin measurements of black holes

Cited by 374 publications

References 102 publications

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

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

Black Hole Spin: Theory and Observation

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

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