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NuSTARand Swift observations of the very high state in GX 339-4: Weighing the black hole with X-rays

Authors :
Parker, M. L.
Tomsick, J. A.
Kennea, J. A.
Miller, J. M.
Harrison, F. A.
Barret, D.
Boggs, S. E.
Christensen, Finn Erland
Craig, W. W.
Fabian, A. C.
Fürst, F.
Grinberg, V.
Hailey, C. J.
Romano, P.
Stern, D.
Walton, D. J.
Zhang, W. W.
Parker, M. L.
Tomsick, J. A.
Kennea, J. A.
Miller, J. M.
Harrison, F. A.
Barret, D.
Boggs, S. E.
Christensen, Finn Erland
Craig, W. W.
Fabian, A. C.
Fürst, F.
Grinberg, V.
Hailey, C. J.
Romano, P.
Stern, D.
Walton, D. J.
Zhang, W. W.
Source :
Parker , M L , Tomsick , J A , Kennea , J A , Miller , J M , Harrison , F A , Barret , D , Boggs , S E , Christensen , F E , Craig , W W , Fabian , A C , Fürst , F , Grinberg , V , Hailey , C J , Romano , P , Stern , D , Walton , D J & Zhang , W W 2016 , ' NuSTARand Swift observations of the very high state in GX 339-4: Weighing the black hole with X-rays ' , The Astrophysical Journal. Letters , vol. 821 , no. 1 , L6 .
Publication Year :
2016

Abstract

We present results from spectral fitting of the very high state of GX 339-4 with Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Swift. We use relativistic reflection modeling to measure the spin of the black hole and inclination of the inner disk and find a spin of a = 0.95(-0.08)(+0.02) and inclination of 30 degrees +/- 1 degrees (statistical errors). These values agree well with previous results from reflection modeling. With the exceptional sensitivity of NuSTAR at the high-energy side of the disk spectrum, we are able to constrain multiple physical parameters simultaneously using continuum fitting. By using the constraints from reflection as input for the continuum fitting method, we invert the conventional fitting procedure to estimate the mass and distance of GX 339-4 using just the X-ray spectrum, finding a mass of 9.0(-1.2)(+1.6) M-circle dot and distance of 8.4 +/- 0.9 kpc (statistical errors).

Details

Database :
OAIster
Journal :
Parker , M L , Tomsick , J A , Kennea , J A , Miller , J M , Harrison , F A , Barret , D , Boggs , S E , Christensen , F E , Craig , W W , Fabian , A C , Fürst , F , Grinberg , V , Hailey , C J , Romano , P , Stern , D , Walton , D J & Zhang , W W 2016 , ' NuSTARand Swift observations of the very high state in GX 339-4: Weighing the black hole with X-rays ' , The Astrophysical Journal. Letters , vol. 821 , no. 1 , L6 .
Notes :
application/pdf, English
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.ocn984713852
Document Type :
Electronic Resource

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