Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-10-2012

Publication Title

Letters of the Astrophysical Journal

Department

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

X-ray reflection signatures are observed around multiple classes of accreting compact objects. Modelling these features yield important constraints on the physics of accretion disks, motivating the development of X-ray reflection models appropriate for a variety of systems and illumination conditions. Here, constant density ionized X-ray reflection models are presented for a disk irradiated with a very hard power-law X-ray spectrum (\Gamma < 1) and a variable high-energy cutoff. These models are then applied to the Suzaku data of the accreting X-ray pulsar LMC X-4, where very good fits are obtained with a highly ionized reflector responsible for both the broad Fe K line and the soft excess. The ionized reflector shows strong evidence for significant Doppler broadening and is redshifted by ~10^4 km/s. These features indicate that the reflecting material is associated with the complex dynamics occurring at the inner region of the magnetically-truncated accretion disk. Thus, reflection studies of X-ray pulsar spectra may give important insights into the accretion physics at the magnetospheric radius.

DOI

10.1088/2041-8205/747/2/L35

Original Citation

D. R. Ballantyne et al 2012 ApJL 747 L35

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