Spectral and timing studies of Cyg X-1 in the low/hard state with Suzaku

Shunsuke Torii, Shin'Ya Yamada, Kazuo Makishima, Soki Sakurai, Kazuhiro Nakazawa, Hirofumi Noda, Chris Done, Hiromitsu Takahashi, Poshak Gandhi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

From 2005 to 2009, 25 observations of Cyg X-1 were performed with Suzaku, achieving a total exposure of 446 ks. In all observations, the source was found in the low/hard state, while the 1.5-12.0 keV count rate of the All- Sky Monitor onboard RXTE varied by a factor of ∼3. In each observation, the 10-60 keV HXD-PIN spectrum and the 60-400 keV HXD-GSO spectrum were fitted successfully by a thermal Comptonization model plus reflection by a thick neutral material. As the soft X-ray intensity increased, the Compton y-parameter was found to decrease from 1.0 to 0.6, while the solid angle of reflection increased by ∼30%. Also conducted was a timing analysis over a frequency range of 10 -3-10 Hz. As the source became brighter in soft X-rays, the characteristic frequency of the hard X-ray variation increased from 0.03 to 0.3 Hz, while the fractional hard X-ray variation integrated over 10 -3-10-2 Hz decreased by a factor of ∼5. The signals in the 60-200 keV band were generally found to vary on shorter time scales than those in the 10-60 keV band. These spectral and timing results can be consistently interpreted by presuming that increases in the mass accretion rate cause the Comptonizing hot corona to shrink, while the optically-thick disk to intrude deeper therein.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S771-S783
JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
Volume63
Issue numberSPEC. ISSUE 3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011 Nov 25
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Accretion
  • Black hole physics
  • Stars: Individual (Cygnus X-1)
  • X-ray: Binaries

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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