MG12 - Talk detail
 

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Abstract

Determination of Black Hole Masses in Galactic Black Hole Binaries using Scaling of Spectral and Variability Characteristics

We present a study of correlations between X-ray spectral and timing properties observed from a number of Galactic Black Hole (BH) binaries during hard-soft state spectral evolution. We analyze 17 transition episodes from 8 BH sources observed with RXTE. Our scaling technique for BH mass determination uses a correlation between spectral index and quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) frequency. In addition, we use a correlation between index and the normalization of the disk ``seed'' component to cross-check the BH mass determination and estimate the distance to the source.

On the Non-relativistic Origin of Red-skewed Iron Lines in CV,

We perform the analysis of the iron K_alpha lines detected in three sources representing of three types of accreting compact sources: cataclysmic variable (CV) GK Per, neutron star (NS) Serpens X-1 and black hole (BH) GX 339-4. We find, using data from Epic-PN Camera on-board XMM-Newton observatory, that the iron K_alpha emission line in GK Per has a noticeable red-skewed profile. We compare the GK Per asymmetric line with the red-skewed lines observed by XMM- Newton in Serpens X-1 and GX 339-4. The observation of the K_alpha emission with red-skewed features in CV GK Per cannot be related to the redshift effects of General Relativity (GR). Therefore, if the mechanism of the K_alpha-line formation is the same in CVs, NSs and BHs then it is evident that the GR effects would be ruled out as a cause of red skewness of K_alpha line.

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