Discovery of X-ray absorption features from the dipping low-mass X-ray binary XB 1916-053 with XMM-Newton

2004/02/12 by L. Boirin, A. N. Parmar, D. Barret +2 · 6 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Absorption (acoustics) #Absorption edge #Absorption spectroscopy #Astronomy #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Atomic physics #Band gap #Condensed matter physics #Emission spectrum #Geometry #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Ion #Ionization #Line (geometry) #Mechanics and Biomechanics Studies #Optics #Physics #Spectral line #X-ray #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034550

published as Astron.Astrophys. 418 (2004) 1061-1072 · 13 pages, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

arxiv created 2004/02/12 · openalex publication_date 2004/04/16 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

We report the discovery of narrow and Kα X-ray absorption lines at 6.65 and 6.95 keV in the persistent emission of the dipping low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) XB 1916-053 during an XMM-Newton observation performed in September 2002. In addition, there is marginal evidence for absorption features at 1.48 keV, 2.67 keV, 7.82 keV and 8.29 keV consistent with , , Kα and Kβ transitions, respectively. Such absorption lines from highly ionized ions are now observed in a number of high inclination (i.e. close to edge-on) LMXBs, such as XB 1916-053, where the inclination is estimated to be between 60–80°. This, together with the lack of any orbital phase dependence of the features (except during dips), suggests that the highly ionized plasma responsible for the absorption lines is located in a cylindrical geometry around the compact object. Using the ratio of and column densities, we estimate the photo-ionization parameter of the absorbing material, ξ, to be 103.92 . Only the line is observed during dipping intervals and the upper-limits to the column density are consistent with a decrease in the amount of ionization during dipping intervals. This implies the presence of cooler material in the line of sight during dipping. We also report the discovery of a 0.98 keV absorption edge in the persistent emission spectrum. The edge energy decreases to 0.87 keV during deep dipping intervals. The detected feature may result from edges of moderately ionized Ne and/or Fe with the average ionization level decreasing from persistent emission to deep dipping. This is again consistent with the presence of cooler material in the line of sight during dipping.

Citations

• Detection of negative superhumps in a low-mass X-ray binary an end to the long debate on the nature of V1405 Aql (X1916053)
• Simple Photoelectric Absorption during Dipping in theASCAObservation of XB 1916−053
• Absorption Dips in the Light Curves of GRO J1655−40 and 4U 1630−47 during Outburst
• Peculiar spectral and power spectral behaviour of the LMXB GX 13+1
• Discovery of narrow X-ray absorption features from the low-mass X-ray binary X 1254-690 with XMM-Newton

Cited by

• Radiative and Auger Decay Data for Modeling Nickel K Lines
• Accretion disc atmospheres and winds in low‐mass X‐ray binaries
• An XMM-Newton view of the dipping low-mass X-ray binary XTE J1710-281
• Evidence of a non-conservative mass transfer in the ultra-compact X-ray source XB 1916-053
• A STUDY OF THE LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARY DIP SOURCES XB 1916 – 053, XB 1323 – 619, X 1624 – 490 AND 4U 1746 – 371 OBSERVED WITHINTEGRAL
• Chandra observation of the dipping source XB 1254–690