
 We present the results of the neutron star X-ray binary system Cen X-3 performed by Insight-HXMT with two observations during 2017 and 2018. During these two observations, the source reached a X-ray luminosity of ∼1038 erg s−1 from 2 – 105 keV. The analysis of the broadband X-ray spectrum reports the presence of two cyclotron resonance scattering features (CRSFs) with the fundamental line at ∼ 28 keV and the harmonic line at ∼47 keV. The multiple lines exist by fittings with different continuum models, like the absorbed NPEX model and a power-law with high energy exponential cutoff model. This is the first time that both fundamental and harmonic lines are detected in Cen X-3. We also show evidence of two cyclotron lines in the phase-resolved spectrum of Cen X-3. The CRSF and continuum spectral parameters show evolution with the pulse profile, and the two line centroid energy ratio does not change significantly and locates in a narrow value range of 1.6 − 1.7 over the pulse phase. The implications of the discovering two cyclotron absorption features and phase-resolved spectral properties are discussed.

/pdf/discovery-of-two-cyclotron-resonance-scattering-features-in-1xmdf40x.pdf

Discovery of Two Cyclotron Resonance Scattering Features in X-ray Pulsar Cen X-3 by Insight-HXMT

We present a time-resolved analysis using 39 ks NuSTAR observation data of the X-ray pulsar Centaurus X-3, covering an orbital-phase interval of Φ = 0.199–0.414. The orbital- and spin-phase variabilities are investigated through time-resolved spectra, light curves, and pulse profiles. The orbital-phase variability was due to the mixture of two comparable effects: intrinsic flux variability of ∼10% and obscuration by the clumpy stellar wind. The typical size and number density of the clumps are ∼9 × 1010 cm and ∼3 × 1012 cm−3, respectively. In the spin-phase-resolved analysis, we detected variations in the spectral features of the continuum, the Fe line, and the cyclotron resonance scattering feature (CRSF). The photon index ranged from 0.72 to 1.06, corresponding to the difference in the Comptonization optical depth by a factor of ∼1.6. The equivalent width and intensity of the Fe line had negative correlations with the continuum flux. The central energy and the strength of the CRSF increased at the pulse maximum. The former ranged from 26.0 to 28.7 keV, while the latter varied by a factor of ∼1.9. The pulse profile was double-peaked in the low-energy band, and it gradually shifted to being single-peaked with energy, indicating the existence of two distinct emission patterns, corresponding to the pencil and fan beams. Finally, we found that the pulse profiles were highly stable along the orbital phase, within a variation degree of ∼20%, which provides evidence of the highly stable accretion stream of the binary system.

/pdf/orbital-and-spin-phase-variability-in-the-x-ray-emission-3dsgc7jp.pdf

Orbital- and Spin-phase Variability in the X-Ray Emission from the Accreting Pulsar Centaurus X-3

Aims. We introduce a method for extracting spectral information from energy-resolved light curves folded at the neutron star spin period (known as pulse profiles) in accreting X-ray binaries. Spectra of these sources are sometimes characterized by features superimposed on a smooth continuum, such as iron emission lines and cyclotron resonant scattering features. We address here the question on how to derive quantitative constraints on such features from energy-dependent changes in the pulse profiles. Methods. We developed a robust method for determining in each energy-selected bin the value of the pulsed fraction using the fast Fourier transform opportunely truncated at the number of harmonics needed to satisfactorily describe the actual profile. We determined the uncertainty on this value by sampling through Monte Carlo simulations a total of 1000 faked profiles. We rebinned the energy-resolved pulse profiles to have a constant minimum signal-to-noise ratio throughout the whole energy band. Finally we characterize the dependence of the energy-resolved pulsed fraction using a phenomenological polynomial model and search for features corresponding to spectral signatures of iron emission or cyclotron lines using Gaussian line profiles. Results. We apply our method to a representative sample of NuSTAR observations of well-known accreting X-ray pulsars. We show that, with this method, it is possible to characterize the pulsed fraction spectra, and to constrain the position and widths of such features with a precision comparable with the spectral results. We also explore how harmonic decomposition, correlation, and lag spectra might be used as additional probes for detection and characterization of such features. 

Energy-resolved pulse profiles of accreting pulsars: Diagnostic tools for spectral features


 We report the results from a timing and spectral analysis of the Be/X-ray binary, XTE J1946+274 which underwent a Type II outburst in June 2018 and was observed with NuSTAR at a flux of ∼2.8 × 10−9 erg cm−2s−1. The spectrum was described well with HighEC, NPEX, FDcut and the CompTT models for the continuum. A cyclotron line is detected at ∼37.7 keV independent of the choice of the continuum model, confirming the previous detections. The pulse profile shows strong energy dependence with a double-peaked structure at low energies while evolving into a single-peaked structure at higher energies. Though the cyclotron line is detected in the phase-average spectra, from the phase-resolved analysis we find that it is unambiguously detected in only ∼50 per cent of the phases, where the second pulse peak disappears. In the remaining pulse phase, we find marginal evidence for the presence of a weak line at 36.5 keV. The cyclotron line centroid remains fairly constant with phase in the second peak but a significant variation of the CRSF depth with the pulse phase is evident. We compile the results from the previously published literature on this source and find that XTE J1946+274 has been observed over the flux range of ∼0.4–7.3 × 10−9 erg cm−2 s−1. Although there is no clear variation between the cyclotron line energy with luminosity, it is among a handful of the sources that have been observed over such a wide range of fluxes and may contain, within this range, the critical luminosity.

Phase-dependent cyclotron line feature in XTE J1946+274: A NuSTAR view


 We present the results of timing and spectral analysis of the HMXB pulsar, Cen X-3, with the help of observations carried out using the Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) on board AstroSat. As part of our analysis, we sampled the source properties during 4 different observation epochs covering two widely different intensity states. We obtain a timing solution and report precise measurements of the spin and orbital parameters corresponding to these observational epochs. The pulse profiles during the two intensity states reveal dramatically varying shapes within a time span of one month. We report the detection of one of the lowest measured frequencies of quasi periodic oscillations (QPO) at 0.026 ± 0.001 Hz for Cen X-3 during its low intensity state. We also find correlated periodic and aperiodic noise components in the power density spectra. We further carried out a phase averaged and a pulse phase resolved spectral study, where we find that the best fit continuum spectrum is well described by an absorbed Comptonization model along with a blackbody. Cen X-3 exhibited the presence of the ∼28 keV CRSF absorption line and a ∼6.6 keV Fe emission line in both the intensity states. Significant variations in the line forming regions and mode of accretion for Cen X-3 within time spans of a month make Cen X-3 a highly dynamic persistent binary.

/pdf/timing-and-spectral-studies-of-cen-x-3-in-multiple-dbkkmfpe.pdf

Timing and spectral studies of Cen X-3 in multiple luminosity states using AstroSat

We report results from the analysis of data from two observations of the accreting binary X-ray pulsar Cen X-3 carried out with the broadband X-ray observatories Suzaku and NuSTAR. The pulse profile is dominated by a broad single peak and show some energy dependence with two additional weak pulse peaks at energies below 15 and 25 keV respectively. The broadband X-ray spectrum for 0.8-60.0 keV for Suzaku and 3.0-60.0 keV for NuSTAR is fitted well with high energy cut-off power-law model along with soft-excess, multiple iron emission lines and a cyclotron absorption. The cyclotron line energy is found to be $30.29^{+0.68}_{-0.61}$ keV and $29.22^{+0.28}_{-0.27}$ keV respectively in the Suzaku and NuSTAR spectra. We make a comparison of these two measurements with four previous measurements of CRSF in Cen X-3 obtained with Ginga, BeppoSAX and RXTE. We find no evidence for a dependence of the CRSF on luminosity. Except for one CRSF measurement with BeppoSAX, the remaining measurements are consistent with a CRSF energy in the range of 29.5 - 30.0 keV over a luminosity range of 1.1-5.4 $\times 10^{37}$ ergs s$^{-1}$ different from several other sources that show considerable CRSF variation in the same luminosity range.

New measurements of the cyclotron line energy in Cen X-3

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New measurements of the cyclotron line energy in Cen X-3