On the stability of the thermal Comptonization index in neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries in their different spectral states

2010/09/06 by R. Farinelli, L. Titarchuk, Lev Titarchuk
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Accretion (finance) #Astronomy #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Context (archaeology) #Electron #Low Mass #Mechanics and Biomechanics Studies #Neutron star #Nuclear physics #Physics #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Spectral index #Spectral line #Stars #Thermal #X-ray #astro-ph.HE

paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201014808

7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

arxiv created 2010/09/06 · openalex publication_date 2010/09/28 · arxiv updated 2015/05/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Context. Most of the spectra of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (NS LMXBs), whether they are persistent or transient, are characterized by the presence of a strong thermal Comptonization bump, which is thought to originate in the transition layer (TL) between the accretion disk and the NS surface. The observable quantities that characterize this component, which is dominating the emission below 30 keV, are the spectral index α and the rollover energy, both related to the electron temperature and optical depth of the plasma.

Citations

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