X-ray Spectroscopy of the Super Soft Source RXJ0925.7--475
Abstract
Dozens of Super Soft Sources (SSS) have been discovered wtih Einsten and Rosat. Most SSS have X-ray emission in the narrow energy range between 0.1 and 0.5 keV. RXJ0925.7--475 is an unusual, the ``hardest'' SSS having the most X-ray emission above 0.5 keV. ASCA observed RXJ0925.7--475 with the energy resolution ~ 10 %; this is practically the first X-ray spectroscopy of SSS. A blackbody model, which could fit ROSAT spectra, does not fit the data, and we clearly found several absorption edge structures. The edges are considered K or L-edges of ionized C, O, Ne and Fe, and optical depths are 0.6 -- 1.3. Steady nuclear burning on the surface of accreting white dwarves is a likely origin of SSS, and the hot white-dwarf atmosphere may yield such ionized heavy elements, However, the emission region size obtained from the current data is R ~ 400 km (d/1kpc), much smaller than the white-dwarf surface area. This may suggest only a part of the white-dwarf surface is emitting X-rays.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #186
- Pub Date:
- March 1995
- Bibcode:
- 1995AAS...186.4801E