Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER

We use the rms and lag spectra of the type-C quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) to study the properties of the Comptonization region (aka corona) during the low/hard and hard-intermediate states of the main outburst and reflare of MAXI J1348−630. We simultaneously fit the time-averaged energy spectrum...

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Main Authors: Kevin Alabarta, Mariano Méndez, Federico García, Diego Altamirano, Yuexin Zhang, Liang Zhang, David M. Russell, Ole König
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada7f9
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author Kevin Alabarta
Mariano Méndez
Federico García
Diego Altamirano
Yuexin Zhang
Liang Zhang
David M. Russell
Ole König
author_facet Kevin Alabarta
Mariano Méndez
Federico García
Diego Altamirano
Yuexin Zhang
Liang Zhang
David M. Russell
Ole König
author_sort Kevin Alabarta
collection DOAJ
description We use the rms and lag spectra of the type-C quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) to study the properties of the Comptonization region (aka corona) during the low/hard and hard-intermediate states of the main outburst and reflare of MAXI J1348−630. We simultaneously fit the time-averaged energy spectrum of the source and the fractional rms and phase-lag spectra of the QPO with the time-dependent Comptonization model VKOMPTH. The data can be explained by two physically connected coronae interacting with the accretion disk via a feedback loop of X-ray photons. The best-fitting model consists of a corona of ∼10 ^3 km located at the inner edge of the disk and a second corona of ∼10 ^4 km horizontally extended and covering the inner parts of the accretion disk. The properties of both coronae during the reflare are similar to those during the low/hard state of the main outburst, reinforcing the idea that both the outburst and the reflare are driven by the same physical mechanisms. We combine our results for the type-C QPO with those from previous work focused on the study of type-A and type-B QPOs with the same model to study the evolution of the geometry of the corona through the whole outburst, including the reflare of MAXI J1348−630. Finally, we show that the sudden increase in the phase-lag frequency spectrum and the sharp drop in the coherence function previously observed in MAXI J1348−630 are due to the type-C QPO during the decay of the outburst and can be explained in terms of the geometry of the coronae.
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spelling doaj-art-e162498f30ae44d897f6f1fc8f69bcf12025-08-20T03:11:43ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01980225110.3847/1538-4357/ada7f9Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICERKevin Alabarta0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0168-9906Mariano Méndez1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2187-2708Federico García2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9072-4069Diego Altamirano3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3422-0074Yuexin Zhang4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2268-9318Liang Zhang5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4498-9925David M. Russell6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3500-631XOle König7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8670-4575Center for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS), New York University Abu Dhabi , P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE ; kalabarta@nyu.eduKapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen , P.O. Box 800, NL-9700 AV Groningen, The NetherlandsInstituto Argentino de Radioastronomía (CCT La Plata, CONICET; CICPBA; UNLP) , C.C.5, (1894) Villa Elisa, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton , Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UKKapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen , P.O. Box 800, NL-9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands; Center for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAKey Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of ChinaCenter for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS), New York University Abu Dhabi , P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE ; kalabarta@nyu.eduCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Dr. Karl Remeis-Observatory and Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Sternwartstr. 7, 96049 Bamberg, GermanyWe use the rms and lag spectra of the type-C quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) to study the properties of the Comptonization region (aka corona) during the low/hard and hard-intermediate states of the main outburst and reflare of MAXI J1348−630. We simultaneously fit the time-averaged energy spectrum of the source and the fractional rms and phase-lag spectra of the QPO with the time-dependent Comptonization model VKOMPTH. The data can be explained by two physically connected coronae interacting with the accretion disk via a feedback loop of X-ray photons. The best-fitting model consists of a corona of ∼10 ^3 km located at the inner edge of the disk and a second corona of ∼10 ^4 km horizontally extended and covering the inner parts of the accretion disk. The properties of both coronae during the reflare are similar to those during the low/hard state of the main outburst, reinforcing the idea that both the outburst and the reflare are driven by the same physical mechanisms. We combine our results for the type-C QPO with those from previous work focused on the study of type-A and type-B QPOs with the same model to study the evolution of the geometry of the corona through the whole outburst, including the reflare of MAXI J1348−630. Finally, we show that the sudden increase in the phase-lag frequency spectrum and the sharp drop in the coherence function previously observed in MAXI J1348−630 are due to the type-C QPO during the decay of the outburst and can be explained in terms of the geometry of the coronae.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada7f9Stellar accretion disksBlack holesLow-mass x-ray binary starsX-ray binary stars
spellingShingle Kevin Alabarta
Mariano Méndez
Federico García
Diego Altamirano
Yuexin Zhang
Liang Zhang
David M. Russell
Ole König
Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER
The Astrophysical Journal
Stellar accretion disks
Black holes
Low-mass x-ray binary stars
X-ray binary stars
title Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER
title_full Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER
title_fullStr Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER
title_full_unstemmed Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER
title_short Geometry of the Comptonization Region of MAXI J1348−630 through Type-C Quasiperiodic Oscillations with NICER
title_sort geometry of the comptonization region of maxi j1348 630 through type c quasiperiodic oscillations with nicer
topic Stellar accretion disks
Black holes
Low-mass x-ray binary stars
X-ray binary stars
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada7f9
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