Spectral-Timing Studies of Accreting Neutron Star and Black Hole Systems
Abstract
The inner 100s of kilometers around compact objects in X-ray binaries are among the best laboratories for strong-field gravity. The X-rays originate from material in curved spacetime near the compact object, so they directly reveal the physical processes taking place in these extreme environments. NICER’s unprecedented combination of temporal and spectral resolution has enabled an in-depth look into the soft X-ray spectral-timing properties of accreting compact objects. By studying broadband time variability and time-dependent spectral variability, the NICER science working groups have uncovered new details about accretion physics and the geometry of matter flows in the strong-gravity regime. In this talk I will feature results from the NICER science team on quasi-periodic oscillations showing energy-dependent time lags, thermonuclear X-ray bursts impacting the accretion environment, an accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar in an ultracompact binary, and the coronal evolution of a bright black hole. These results highlight the potential of NICER’s upcoming Guest Observer program to shed more light on exciting X-ray sources.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #233
- Pub Date:
- January 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AAS...23342605S