Rapid spectral variability in the black hole transient MAXI J1820+070
Abstract
One of the best laboratories to study strong-field gravity is the inner 100s of kilometers around stellar-mass black holes in binary systems with low-mass stellar companions. The X-ray light curves of these binary systems show variability on timescales from milliseconds to months — the shorter (sub-second) variability can appear as quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs), which may be produced by general relativistic effects. We looked at types of low-frequency QPOs from an exciting recent black hole transient, MAXI J1820+070. This source was observed in a multi-wavelength campaign that included the NICER mission, a soft X-ray telescope attached to the International Space Station. Our X-ray analysis was done by applying Fourier-domain analysis and "spectral-timing" techniques. The ultimate goal is to help place constraints on the QPO emission mechanism, perhaps precession of the accretion disk and/or relativistic jets.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235
- Pub Date:
- January 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AAS...23517013D