High Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy of Compact Binaries
Abstract
We propose to undertake a survey of Galactic X-ray binaries with the ACIS-S+HETG. Owing to their proximity and brightness, X-ray binaries provide otherwise unobtainable insight into the accretion process. We will: investigate the physical conditions of the emitting gas using emission and recombination line diagnostics to determine temperatures, densities, elemental abundances, and ionization structure; test and improve models of X-ray line emission developed by us over the past decade; and generate an atlas of spectra for use in comparative studies of X-ray binaries. Insights gained from this work will be applicable to irradiated, accreting plasmas which are present in regions of star formation, interacting main-sequence binaries, active galactic nuclei and quasars.
- Publication:
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Chandra Proposal
- Pub Date:
- September 1999
- Bibcode:
- 1999cxo..prop..153V
- Keywords:
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- Chandra Proposal ID #01400776