X-ray reprocessing in accreting pulsar GX 301-2 observed with Insight-HXMT

X-ray reprocessing in accreting pulsar GX 301-2 observed with Insight-HXMT

ABSTRACT We investigate the absorption and emission features in observations of GX 301-2 detected with Insight-HXMT/LE in 2017–2019. At different orbital phases, we found prominent Fe Kα, Kβ, and Ni Kα lines, as well as Compton shoulders and Fe K-shell absorption edges. These features are due to the...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2021-02, Vol.501 (2), p.2522-2530
Hauptverfasser: Ji, L, Doroshenko, V, Suleimanov, V, Santangelo, A, Orlandini, M, Liu, J, Ducci, L, Zhang, S N, Gavran, D, Zhang, S, Ge, M Y, Li, X B, Tao, L, Bu, Q C, Qu, J L, Lu, F J, Chen, L, Song, L M, Li, T P, Xu, Y P, Cao, X L, Chen, Y, Liu, C Z, Cai, C, Chang, Z, Chen, T X, Chen, Y P, Cui, W W, Du, Y Y, Gao, G H, Gu, Y D, Guan, J, Guo, C C, Han, D W, Huang, Y, Huo, J, Jia, S M, Jiang, W C, Jin, J, Kong, L D, Li, B, Li, C K, Li, G, Li, W, Li, X, Li, X F, Li, Z W, Liang, X H, Liao, J Y, Liu, B S, Liu, H X, Liu, H W, Liu, X J, Lu, X F, Luo, Q, Luo, T, Ma, R C, Ma, X, Meng, B, Nang, Y, Nie, J Y, Ou, G, Ren, X Q, Sai, N, Song, X Y, Sun, L, Tan, Y, Tuo, Y L, Wang, C, Wang, L J, Wang, P J, Wang, W S, Wang, Y S, Wen, X Y, Wu, B Y, Wu, B B, Wu, M, Xiao, G C, Xiao, S, Xiong, S L, Yang, R J, Yang, S, Yang, Yan-Ji, Yang, Yi-Jung, Yi, Q B, Yin, Q Q, You, Y, Zhang, F, Zhang, H M, Zhang, J, Zhang, P, Zhang, W, Zhang, W C, Zhang, Yi, Zhang, Y H, Zhao, H S, Zhao, X F, Zheng, S J, Zheng, Y G, Zhou, D K
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Online-Zugang:Volltext bestellen
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:ABSTRACT We investigate the absorption and emission features in observations of GX 301-2 detected with Insight-HXMT/LE in 2017–2019. At different orbital phases, we found prominent Fe Kα, Kβ, and Ni Kα lines, as well as Compton shoulders and Fe K-shell absorption edges. These features are due to the X-ray reprocessing caused by the interaction between the radiation from the source and surrounding accretion material. According to the ratio of iron lines (Kα and Kβ), we infer the accretion material is in a low ionization state. We find an orbital-dependent local absorption column density, which has a large value and strong variability around the periastron. We explain its variability as a result of inhomogeneities of the accretion environment and/or instabilities of accretion processes. In addition, the variable local column density is correlated with the equivalent width of the iron Kα lines throughout the orbit, which suggests that the accretion material near the neutron star is spherically distributed.
ISSN:0035-8711
1365-2966
DOI:10.1093/mnras/staa3788