High ionisation absorption in low mass X-ray binaries
Abstract
The advent of the new generation of X-ray telescopes yielded a significant step forward in our understanding of ionised absorption generated in the accretion discs of X-ray binaries. It has become evident that these relatively weak and narrow absorption features, sporadically present in the X-ray spectra of some systems, are actually the signature of equatorial outflows, which might carry away more matter than that being accreted. Therefore, they play a major role in the accretion phenomenon. These outflows (or ionised atmospheres) are ubiquitous during the softer states but absent during the power-law dominated, hard states, suggesting a strong link with the state of the inner accretion disc, presence of the radio-jet and the properties of the central source. Here, we discuss the current understanding of this field.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1510.08902,
title = {High ionisation absorption in low mass X-ray binaries},
author = {G. Ponti and S. Bianchi and T. Munoz-Darias and K. De and R. P. Fender and A. Merloni},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1510.08902},
year = {2016}
}
Comments
Accepted for publication in Astronomical Notes (Proceedings of "The Extremes of Black Hole Accretion" workshop, held at ESAC, Madrid, in June 2015)