IONIZED REFLECTION SPECTRA FROM ACCRETION DISKS ILLUMINATED BY X-RAY PULSARS
- Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States)
X-ray reflection signatures are observed around multiple classes of accreting compact objects. Modeling these features yields important constraints on the physics of accretion disks, motivating the development of X-ray reflection models appropriate for a variety of systems and illumination conditions. Here, constant density ionized X-ray reflection models are presented for a disk irradiated with a very hard power-law X-ray spectrum ({Gamma} < 1) and a variable high-energy cutoff. These models are then applied to the Suzaku data of the accreting X-ray pulsar LMC X-4, where very good fits are obtained with a highly ionized reflector responsible for both the broad Fe K{alpha} line and the soft excess. The ionized reflector shows strong evidence for significant Doppler broadening and is redshifted by {approx}10{sup 4} km s{sup -1}. These features indicate that the reflecting material is associated with the complex dynamics occurring at the inner region of the magnetically truncated accretion disk. Thus, reflection studies of X-ray pulsar spectra may give important insights into the accretion physics at the magnetospheric radius.
- OSTI ID:
- 22047997
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 747, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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