Search results for " X-Rays: Stars"
showing 10 items of 38 documents
Disappearance of Hard X-Ray Emission in the Last BeppoSAX Observation of the Z Source GX 349+2
2003
We report on the results from two BeppoSAX observations of the Z source GX 349+2 performed in February 2001 and covering the broad energy range 0.12-200 keV. The light curve obtained from these observations shows a large flaring activity, the count rate varying from ~130 to ~260 counts/s, indicating that the source was in the flaring branch during these observations. The average spectrum is well described by a soft blackbody and a Comptonized component. To well fit the energy spectrum three gaussian lines are needed at 1.2 keV, 2.6 keV, and 6.7 keV with corresponding equivalent widths of 13 eV, 10 eV, and 39 eV, probably associated to L-shell emission of Fe XXIV, Ly-alpha S XVI, and Fe XXV,…
Fe Kα and Hydrodynamic Loop Model Diagnostics for a Large Flare on II Pegasi
2008
The observation by the Swift X-ray Telescope of the Fe K alpha_1, alpha_2 doublet during a large flare on the RS CVn binary system II Peg represents one of only two firm detections to date of photospheric Fe K alpha from a star other than our Sun. We present models of the Fe K alpha equivalent widths reported in the literature for the II Peg observations and show that they are most probably due to fluorescence following inner shell photoionisation of quasi-neutral Fe by the flare X-rays. Our models constrain the maximum height of flare the to 0.15 R_* assuming solar abundances for the photospheric material, and 0.1 R_* and 0.06 R_* assuming depleted photospheric abundances ([M/H]=-0.2 and […
On the Spectral Evolution of Cygnus X-2 along its Color-Color Diagram
2002
We report on the results of a broad band (0.1-200 keV) spectral study of Cyg X-2 using two BeppoSAX observations taken in 1996 and 1997, respectively, for a total effective on-source time of ~100 ks. The color-color (CD) and hardness-intensity (HID) diagrams show that the source was in the horizontal branch (HB) and normal branch (NB) during the 1996 and 1997 observation, respectively. Five spectra were selected around different positions of the source in the CD/HID, two in the HB and three in the NB. These spectra are fit to a model consisting of a disk blackbody, a Comptonization component, and two Gaussian emission lines at ~1 keV and ~6.6 keV, respectively. The addition of a hard power-…
Diagnostics of stellar flares from X-ray observations: from the decay to the rise phase
2007
The diagnostics of stellar flaring coronal loops have been so far largely based on the analysis of the decay phase. We derive new diagnostics from the analysis of the rise and peak phase of stellar flares. We release the assumption of full equilibrium of the flaring loop at the flare peak, according to the frequently observed delay between the temperature and the density maximum. From scaling laws and hydrodynamic simulations we derive diagnostic formulas as a function of observable quantities and times. We obtain a diagnostic toolset related to the rise phase, including the loop length, density and aspect ratio. We discuss the limitations of this approach and find that the assumption of lo…
X-ray optical depth diagnostics of T Tauri accretion shocks
2009
In classical T Tauri stars, X-rays are produced by two plasma components: a hot low-density plasma, with frequent flaring activity, and a high-density lower temperature plasma. The former is coronal plasma related to the stellar magnetic activity. The latter component, never observed in non-accreting stars, could be plasma heated by the shock formed by the accretion process. However its nature is still being debated. Our aim is to probe the soft X-ray emission from the high-density plasma component in classical T Tauri stars to check whether this is plasma heated in the accretion shock or whether it is coronal plasma. High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy allows us to measure individual line f…
On the soft excess in the x-ray spectrum of circinus X-1: Revisitation of the distance to circinus X-1
2005
We report on a 300 ks BeppoSAX (0.12-200 keV) observation of Circinus X-1 (Cir X-1) at phases between 0.62 and 0.84 and on a 90 ks BeppoSAX observation of Cir X-1 at phases 0.11-0.16. Using the canonical model adopted until now to fit the energy spectrum of this source, large residuals appear below 1 keV. These are well fitted using an equivalent hydrogen column of 0.66¿1022 cm-2, adding absorption edges of O VII, O VIII, and Ne IX in the spectra extracted from the observation at phases 0.62-0.84 and adding absorption edges of O VII, O VIII, Mg XI, and Mg XII and absorption lines of O VIII and Mg XII in the spectra extracted from the observation at phases 0.11-0.16. During the observation a…
X-ray emission from MP Muscae: an old classical T Tauri star
2007
We study the properties of X-ray emitting plasma of MP Mus, an old classical T Tauri star. We aim at checking whether an accretion process produces the observed X-ray emission and at deriving the accretion parameters and the characteristics of the shock-heated plasma. We compare the properties of MP Mus with those of younger classical T Tauri stars to test whether age is related to the properties of the X-ray emission plasma. XMM-Newton X-ray spectra allows us to measure plasma temperatures, abundances, and electron density. In particular the density of cool plasma probes whether X-ray emission is produced by plasma heated in the accretion process. X-ray emission from MP Mus originates from…
The density of coronal plasma in active stellar coronae
2004
We have analyzed high-resolution X-ray spectra of a sample of 22 active stars observed with the High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer on {\em Chandra} in order to investigate their coronal plasma density. Densities where investigated using the lines of the He-like ions O VII, Mg XI, and Si XIII. While Si XIII lines in all stars of the sample are compatible with the low-density limit, Mg XI lines betray the presence of high plasma densities ($> 10^{12}$ cm$^{-3}$) for most of the sources with higher X-ray luminosity ($> 10^{30}$ erg/s); stars with higher $L_X$ and $L_X/L_{bol}$ tend to have higher densities at high temperatures. Ratios of O VII lines yield much lower densities …
X-ray Flares of EV Lac: Statistics, Spectra, Diagnostics
2010
We study the spectral and temporal behavior of X-ray flares from the active M-dwarf EV Lac in 200 ks of exposure with the Chandra/HETGS. We derive flare parameters by fitting an empirical function which characterizes the amplitude, shape, and scale. The flares range from very short (<1 ks) to long (10 ks) duration events with a range of shapes and amplitudes for all durations. We extract spectra for composite flares to study their mean evolution and to compare flares of different lengths. Evolution of spectral features in the density-temperature plane shows probable sustained heating. The short flares are significantly hotter than the longer flares. We determined an upper limit to the Fe…
Discovery of periodic dips in the light curve of GX 13+1: the X-ray orbital ephemeris of the source
2014
The bright low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) GX 13+1 is one of the most peculiar Galactic binary systems. A periodicity of 24.27 d with a formal statistical error of 0.03 d was observed in its power spectrum density obtained with RXTE All Sky Monitor (ASM) data spanning 14 years. Starting from a recent study, indicating GX 13+1 as a possible dipping source candidate, we systematically searched for periodic dips in the X-ray light curves of GX 13+1 from 1996 up to 2013 using RXTE/ASM, and MAXI data to determine for the first time the X-ray orbital ephemeris of GX 13+1. We searched for a periodic signal in the ASM and MAXI light curves, finding a common periodicity of 24.53 d. We folded the 1.3-5 …