The spin of the black hole microquasar XTE J1550−564 via the continuum-fitting and Fe-line methods

By J. Steiner, R. Reis, J. E. McClintock, Ramesh Narayan, Ronald A. Remillard, J. Orosz, Lijun Gou, A. C. Fabian, M. Torres. 2010

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We measure the spin of XTE J1550−564 using the two leading methods: (i) modelling the thermal continuum spectrum of the accretion disc; and (ii) modelling the broad red wing of the reflection fluorescence Fe Kα line. We find that these two independent measurements of spin are in agreement. For the continuum-fitting analysis, we use a data sample consisting of several dozen Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer spectra, and for the Fe Kα analysis, we use a pair of ASCA spectra from a single epoch. Our spin estimate for the black hole primary using the continuum-fitting method is −0.11 < a∗ < 0.71 (90 per cent confidence), with a most likely spin of a∗ = 0.34. In obtaining this result, we have thoroughly explored the dependence of the spin value on a wide range of model-dependent systematic errors and observational errors; our precision is limited by uncertainties in the distance and orbital inclination of the system. For the Fe-line method, our estimate of spin is a∗ = 0.55 +0.15 −0.22 . Combining these results, we conclude that the spin of this black hole is moderate, a∗ = 0.49 +0.13 −0.20 , which suggests that the jet activity of this microquasar is powered largely by its accretion disc rather than by the spin energy of the black hole.

Subfields: Astronomy and Astrophysics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9ac66ae1f21a5b29b9ce81c0992ce0f9572a4046

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IMPROVED REFLECTION MODELS OF BLACK HOLE ACCRETION DISKS: TREATING THE ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION OF X-RAYS (2013, background): “…USA; alohfink@astro.umd.edu, chris@astro.umd.edu, ftombesi@astro.umd.edu 4 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA; timothy.r.kallman@nasa.gov these relativistic effects (e.g., Miller et al. 2008; Steiner et al. 2011; Reynolds et al. 2012; Fabian et al. 2012a; Dauser et al. 2012).”
Black Hole Spin via Continuum Fitting and the Role of Spin in Powering Transient Jets (2013, methodology): “Presently, concordant results are being obtained using these two leading methods (e.g., Steiner et al. 2011, 2012b; Gou et al. 2011; Fabian et al. 2012; Reynolds 2013).”
Observational evidence for a correlation between jet power and black hole spin (2011, methodology): “The only significant difference in data selection is that for GRO J1550−564, we use the new spin value of Steiner et al. (2011), a∗ = 0.34 ± 0.24, while they used the earlier Davis et al. (2006) limit of a∗ < 0.8.”
Black Hole Parameter Estimation from Its Shadow (2018, background): “…of contexts through the gravitational impact on the dynamics of surrounding matter (Matt & Perola 1992; Narayan et al. 2008; Broderick et al. 2009; Steiner et al. 2009, 2011; McClintock et al. 2011; Narayan & McClintock 2012; Bambi 2013), the EHT observations can put stringent bounds on the…”
THE EXTREME SPIN OF THE BLACK HOLE IN CYGNUS X-1 (2011, methodology): “In addition to DISKBB, each model includes (i) a Compton power-law component, eitherCOMPBB (Nishimura et al. 1986) orSIMPLR (Steiner et al. 2009b, 2011) convolved withDISKBB, and (ii) a reflection componentPEXRIV (Magdziarz & Zdziarski 1995)27, which models the absorption edges, plus an Fe Kα…”
Measuring Black Hole Spin Using X-Ray Reflection Spectroscopy (2013, methodology): “The CF method yields a rather broad range of allowable spins, −0.11 < a < 0.71 at the 90% confidence level (Steiner et al. 2011).”
X-RAY REFLECTED SPECTRA FROM ACCRETION DISK MODELS. III. A COMPLETE GRID OF IONIZED REFLECTION CALCULATIONS (2013, background): “…a skewed line profile with a red wing that can extend to very low energies, particularly in the case of high spin (e.g., Fabian et al. 2000; Fabian & Vaughan 2003; Reynolds & Nowak 2003; Dovčiak et al. 2004; Miller et al. 2008; Steiner et al. 2011; Reynolds et al. 2012; Dauser et al. 2012).”
Measuring the spins of accreting black holes (2011, methodology): “In a sense, we have attempted the first test of the no hair theorem by measuring the spin of XTE J1550−564 by two independent methods, the CF method and the Fe Kα method (section 7), and finding agreement.”
A PARALLAX DISTANCE TO THE MICROQUASAR GRS 1915+105 AND A REVISED ESTIMATE OF ITS BLACK HOLE MASS (2014, background): “…is consistent with the original estimate of McClintock et al. (2006), but it is now based firmly on a parallax measurement of distance and a much improved estimate of the black hole’s mass. Including sources of systematic uncertainty (Steiner et al. 2011), we estimate a∗ > 0.92 at 3σ confidence.”
Precise mass and spin measurements for a stellar-mass black hole through X-ray timing: the case of GRO J1655-40 (2013, methodology): “Steiner et al. 2011 tested both methods on the BH binary XTE J1550−564 and obtained consistent results (spin between −0.11 and 0.71 from the continuum method and spin 0.55+0.15−0.22 from the iron line method).”