Publications (6)2.44 Total impact
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Article: A Variable Partial Covering Model for the Seyfert 1 Galaxy MCG-6-30-15
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ABSTRACT: We propose a simple spectral model for the Seyfert 1 Galaxy MCG-6-30-15 that can explain most of the 1 - 40 keV spectral variation by change of the partial covering fraction, similar to the one proposed by Miller et al. (2008). Our spectral model is composed of three continuum components; (1) a direct power-law component, (2) a heavily absorbed power-law component by mildly ionized intervening matter, and (3) a cold disk reflection component far from the black hole with moderate solid-angle ({\Omega}/2{\pi} \approx 0.3) accompanying a narrow fluorescent iron line. The first two components are affected by the surrounding highly ionized thin absorber with N_H \approx 10^{23.4}cm-2 and log {\xi} \approx 3.4. The heavy absorber in the second component is fragmented into many clouds, each of which is composed of radial zones with different ionization states and column densities, the main body (N_H \approx 10^24.2cm-2, log {\xi} \approx 1.6), the envelope (N_H \approx 10^22.1cm-2, log {\xi} \approx 1.9) and presumably a completely opaque core. These parameters of the ionized absorbers, as well as the intrinsic spectral shape of the X-ray source, are unchanged at all. The central X-ray source is moderately extended, and its luminosity is not significantly variable. The observed flux and spectral variations are mostly explained by variation of the geometrical partial covering fraction of the central source from 0 (uncovered) to \sim0.63 by the intervening ionized clouds in the line of sight. The ionized iron K-edge of the heavily absorbed component explains most of the seemingly broad line-like feature, a well-known spectral characteristic of MCG-6-30-15. The direct component and the absorbed component anti-correlate, cancelling their variations each other, so that the fractional spectral variation becomes the minimum at the iron energy band; another observational characteristic of MCG-6-30-15 is thus explained.02/2012; -
Article: Spectral Variation of the Seyfert 1 Galaxy MCG-6-30-15 observed with Suzaku
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ABSTRACT: We have investigated spectral variation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG-6-30-15 observed with Suzaku in January 2006 for three separate periods spreading over fourteen days. We found that the time-averaged continuum energy spectrum between 1 keV and 40 keV can be approximated with a spectral model composed of the direct power-law component, its reflection component, two warm absorbers with different ionization states, and neutral absorption. We have taken two approaches to study its spectral variation at various timescales: The first approach is to make intensity-sliced spectra and study correlation between the intensity and spectral shape. The second approach is to study spectral changes between the intervals when the source flux is above ("bright state") and below ("faint state") the average for fixed time-intervals. In both approaches, we found a clear correlation between the intensity in the 6 -- 10 keV band and the spectral ratio of 0.5 -- 3.0 keV/6.0-- 10 keV. Such a spectral variation requires change of the apparent slope of the direct component, whereas the shape and intensity of the reflection component being invariable. The observed apparent spectral change is explained by variation of the ionization degree of one of the two warm absorbers due to intrinsic source luminosity variation. Current results suggest that the warm absorber has a critical role to explain the observed continuum spectral shape and variation of MCG-6-30-15, which is essential to constrain parameters of the putatively broadened iron line emission feature. Comment: 11 pages, accepted for publication in PASJ10/2009; -
Article: Luminosity dependence of the electron temperature in the bright hard state of the black hole candidate GX 339--4
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ABSTRACT: We have analyzed 200 Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations of the black hole candidate GX 339--4, all from the bright hard state periods between 1996 and 2005. Purpose of our study is to investigate the radiation mechanisms in the hard state of GX 339--4. The broadband 3--200 keV spectra were successfully modeled by a simple analytic model, power--law with an exponential cut-off modified with a smeared edge. The obtained energy cut-off ($E_{\rm{cut}}$) was distributed over 50--200 keV, and the photon index over 1.4--1.7. We found a clear anti-correlation ($E_{\rm{cut}} \propto L^{-0.70\pm0.06}$) between the X-ray luminosity ($L$) in 2--200 keV and $E_{\rm{cut}}$, when $L$ is larger than $7 \times 10^{37}$ erg s$^{-1}$ (assuming a distance of 8 kpc), while $E_{\rm{cut}}$ is roughly constant at around 200 keV when $L$ is smaller than $7 \times 10^{37}$ erg s$^{-1}$. This anti-correlation remained unchanged by adopting a more physical thermal Comptonization model, which resulted in the anti-correlation that can be expressed as $kT_{\rm{e}} \propto L^{-0.24\pm0.06}$. These anti-correlations can be quantitatively explained by a picture in which the energy-flow rate from protons to electrons balances with the inverse Compton cooling.07/2008; -
Article: Clear anti-correlation between luminosity and high energy cutoff in the low/hard state of the black hole candidate GX339-4
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ABSTRACT: We have analyzed the 171 RXTE data sets of the black hole candidate GX 339-4 in the low/hard state during its 1996--2005 outburst. All the broadband spectra were successfully modeled by a simple analytic model, power-law with an exponential cutoff. The obtained energy cutoff($E_{\rm{cut}}$) is distributed over 50--300 keV, and the photon index over 1.4-1.6. We found a clear correlation ($E_{\rm{cut}}$ is proportional to $L^{-0.75 \pm 0.04}$) between luminosity in 2-200 keV (L) and $E_{\rm{cut}}$ when L is larger than 5$\times 10^{37}$ erg $s^{-1}$, while $E_{\rm{cut}}$ is almost constant at 200 keV when L is smaller than 5$\times 10^{37}$ erg $s^{-1}$. This anti-correlation is unchanged by adopting the more physical model of thermal Comptonization by Sunyaev and Titarchuk, although a slightly different relation is obtained as the electron temperature is proportional to $L^{-0.23 \pm 0.02}$. These anti-correlations are qualitatively explained by a picture where the energy flow rate from protons to electrons balance with cooling due to inverse Compton scattering.03/2007; -
Article: Origin of the ``Disk-Line'' Feature in the X-Ray Energy Spectrum of a Seyfert Galaxy, NGC 4151
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ABSTRACT: We have studied the origin of the broad and skewed feature at 4.5-7.5keV in the energy spectra of NGC 4151 using the ASCA and RXTE data. The feature consists of a narrow peak at 6.4keV and a broad wing extended between 4.5-7.5keV. An analysis of the long-term variations revealed that the feature became variable only on a time scale longer than 1.5 × 106s. Through a comparison with the continuum variabilities, we found that the emission region of the excess flux at 4.5-7.5keV has an extent of 1017cm. The broad and skewed feature at 4.5-7.5keV may be explained by the so-called ``disk-line'' model. If so, the size of the line-emitting region, 1017cm, should be equal to several or ten times the Schwarzschild radius of the central black hole. This results in a black hole mass of 1011Msolar, which may be too large for NGC 4151. We propose an alternative explanation for the broad and skewed feature, i.e. a ``reflection'' model, which can also reproduce the overall energy spectra very well. In this model, cold matter with a sufficiently large column density is irradiated by X-rays to produce a reflected continuum, which constitutes the broad wing of the feature and narrow fluoresce nt lines. The equivalent width of the iron fluorescent line (~ 2 keV) and the upper limit of its width (σ < 92 eV) are also consistent with this model. From these results and considerations, we conclude that the ``disk-line'' model has difficulty to explain the spectral variations of NGC 4151, and the reflection model is more plausible.Publications- Astronomical Society of Japan 05/2002; 54:373-386. · 2.44 Impact Factor -
Article: X-ray Study of Accretion Flow in Galactic Microquasar GRS 1915+105
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