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Probing accretion flow dynamics in X-ray binaries
Kalamkar, M.N.
Publication date
2013
Link to publication
Citation for published version (APA):
Kalamkar, M. N. (2013). Probing accretion flow dynamics in X-ray binaries.
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Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 X-ray binaries . . . 2
1.2 Accretion flow . . . 3
1.3 Observational facilities . . . 4
1.3.1 Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer . . . 5
1.3.2 Swift . . . 6
1.4 Observational Techniques . . . 7
1.4.1 Timing analysis . . . 7
1.4.2 Spectral analysis . . . 10
1.5 Accretion states and phenomenology . . . 10
1.5.1 Neutron star states . . . 12
1.5.2 Black hole states . . . 12
1.6 Recent developments . . . 13
1.7 A guide to this thesis . . . 17
2 Possible twin kHz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in the Accreting Millisec-ond X-ray Pulsar IGR J17511–3057 19 2.1 Introduction . . . 20
2.2 Observations and data analysis . . . 21
2.2.1 Color Analysis . . . 21
2.2.2 Timing Analysis . . . 22
2.3 Results . . . 22
2.3.1 Colors and Intensity . . . 22
Contents
2.3.2 Aperiodic variability . . . 24
2.3.3 Identification of the components . . . 28
2.4 Discussion . . . 33
3 The identification of MAXI J1659–152 as a black hole candidate 35 3.1 Introduction . . . 36
3.2 Observations and data analysis . . . 37
3.3 Results . . . 39
3.3.1 Light curves and color evolution . . . 39
3.3.2 Variability properties . . . 41
3.4 Discussion & conclusions . . . 45
4 Swift XRT Timing Observations of the Black-Hole Binary SWIFT J1753.5– 0127: Disk-Diluted Fluctuations in the Outburst-Peak 47 4.1 Introduction . . . 48
4.2 Observations and data analysis . . . 50
4.3 Results . . . 51
4.3.1 Light curves and color diagram . . . 51
4.3.2 Timing analysis . . . 53
4.3.3 Correlations . . . 61
4.4 Discussion . . . 62
5 Swift X-ray Telescope study of the Black Hole Binary MAXI J1659-152: Variability from a two component accretion flow 65 5.1 Introduction . . . 66
5.1.1 Earlier reports on MAXI J1659–152 . . . 68
5.2 Observations and data analysis . . . 69
5.3 Results . . . 71
5.3.1 Light curve and variability evolution . . . 71
5.3.2 Power spectral evolution . . . 72
5.3.3 Evolution of the parameters and their energy dependent be-havior . . . 72
5.3.4 The rms spectrum and energy dependence of frequency . . . 77
5.4 Discussion . . . 79
5.4.1 Origin of the low frequency noise . . . 79
5.4.2 Origin of higher frequency components . . . 80
6 Are spectral and timing correlations similar in different spectral states in black-hole binaries? 85 6.1 Introduction . . . 86
Contents
6.2 Observations . . . 88
6.2.1 MAXI J1659–152 . . . 88
6.2.2 SWIFT J1753.5–0127 . . . 89
6.2.3 GX 339–4 . . . 89
6.3 Reduction & Analysis Procedure . . . 90
6.3.1 Spectral Analysis . . . 90 6.3.2 Timing Analysis . . . 90 6.4 Results . . . 91 6.4.1 Spectral evolution . . . 91 6.4.2 Timing evolution . . . 94 6.5 Spectral–timing correlations . . . 97
6.5.1 Frequency vs. Disk temperature . . . 97
6.5.2 Fractional rms amplitude vs. Disk temperature . . . 100
6.5.3 Inner disk radius evolution . . . 102
6.6 Discussion . . . 104 6.7 Summary . . . 107 7 Appendix 109 Samenvatting 113 Summary 117 Publications 127 iii
