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The persistently bright ultracompact neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1820−30 displays an ∼170 d accretion cycle, evolving between phases of high and low X-ray modes, where the 3–10 keV X-ray flux changes by a factor of up to ≈8. The source is generally in a soft X-ray spectral state, but may transition to a harder state in the low X-ray mode. Here, we present new and archival radio observations of 4U 1820−30 during its high and low X-ray modes. For radio observations taken within a low mode, we observed a flat radio spectrum consistent with 4U 1820−30 launching a compact radio jet. However, during the high X-ray modes the compact jet was quenched and the radio spectrum was steep, consistent with optically thin synchrotron emission. The jet emission appeared to transition at an X-ray luminosity of |$L_{\rm X (3-10\, keV)} \sim 3.5 \times 10^{37} (D/\rm {7.6\, kpc})^{2}$|  erg s−1. We also find that the low-state radio spectrum appeared consistent regardless of X-ray hardness, implying a connection between jet quenching and mass accretion rate in 4U 1820−30, possibly related to the properties of the inner accretion disc or boundary layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed analysis of three XMM–Newton observations of the black hole low-mass X-ray binary IGR J17091−3624 taken during its 2016 outburst. Radio observations obtained with the Australia Telescope Compact Array indicate the presence of a compact jet during all observations. From the best X-ray data fit results, we concluded that the observations were taken during a transition from a hard accretion state to a hard-intermediate accretion state. For Observations 1 and 2, a local absorber can be identified in the EPIC-pn spectra but not in the RGS spectra, preventing us from distinguishing between absorption local to the source and that from the hot ISM component. For Observation 3, on the other hand, we have identified an intrinsic ionized static absorber in both EPIC-pn and RGS spectra. The absorber, observed simultaneously with a compact jet emission, is characterized by an ionization parameter of 1.96 < log ξ < 2.05 and traced mainly by Ne  x , Mg  xii , Si  xiii , and Fe  xviii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MAXI J1659-152 is a bright X-ray transient black-hole candidate binary system discovered in September 2010. We report here on MAXI, RXTE, Swift, and XMM-Newton observations during its 2010/2011 outburst. We find that during the first one and a half week of the outburst the X-ray light curves display drops in intensity at regular intervals, which we interpret as absorption dips. About three weeks into the outbursts, again drops in intensity are seen. These dips have, however, a spectral behaviour opposite to that of the absorption dips, and are related to fast spectral state changes (hence referred to as transition dips). The absorption dips recur with a period of 2.414 ± 0.005 h, which we interpret as the orbital period of the system. This implies that MAXI J1659-152 is the shortest period black-hole candidate binary known to date. The inclination of the accretion disk with respect to the line of sight is estimated to be 65-80. We propose the companion to the black-hole candidate to be close to an M5 dwarf star, with a mass and radius of about 0.15-0.25 M☉ and 0.2-0.25 R☉, respectively. We derive that the companion had an initial mass of about 1.5 M☉, which evolved to its current mass in about 5-6 billion years. The system is rather compact (orbital separation of ⋀1.33 R☉), and is located at a distance of 8.6 ± 3.7 kpc, with a height above the Galactic plane of 2.4± 1.0 kpc. The characteristics of short orbital period and high Galactic scale height are shared with two other transient black-hole candidate X-ray binaries, i.e., XTE J1118+480 and Swift J1735.5-0127. We suggest that all three are kicked out of the Galactic plane into the halo, rather than being formed in a globular cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed data from five XMM-Newton observations of GX 13+1 to investigate the variability of the photo-ionised absorber in this source. We fitted EPIC and RGS spectra obtained from the "least-variable" intervals with a model consisting of disc-blackbody and blackbody components together with a Gaussian emission feature at ∼6.55-6.7 keV modified by absorption due to cold and photoionised material. We found a significant correlation between the hard, ∼6-10 keV, flux, the ionisation and column density of the absorber and the equivalent width of the broad iron line. We interpret the correlation in a scenario in which a disc wind is thermally driven at large, ∼1010 cm, radii and the broad line results from reprocessed emission in the wind and/or hot atmosphere. The breadth of the emission line is naturally explained by a combination of scattering, recombination and fluorescence processes. We attribute the variations in the absorption and emission along the orbital period to the view of different parts of the wind, possibly located at slightly different inclination angles. We constrain the inclination of GX13+1 to be between 60 and 80° from the strong absorption in the line of sight, which obscures up to 80% of the total emission in one observation, and the absence of eclipses. We conclude that either a disc wind and/or a hot atmosphere can explain the current observations of narrow absorption and broad iron emission features in neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries as a class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]