Spectral evolution of GX 17+2 using AstroSat and NICER observations

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Bhattacherjee, Sree, Misra, Ranjeev, Sarkar, Biplob, Jithesh, V., Roy, Jayashree, Bhulla, Yashpal
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author Bhattacherjee, Sree
Misra, Ranjeev
Sarkar, Biplob
Jithesh, V.
Roy, Jayashree
Bhulla, Yashpal
author_facet Bhattacherjee, Sree
Misra, Ranjeev
Sarkar, Biplob
Jithesh, V.
Roy, Jayashree
Bhulla, Yashpal
contents We study the spectral evolution of the Z-track source GX 17+2 using AstroSat and NICER observations taken between 2016 and 2020. The AstroSat observations cover the period when the source is in the normal branch (NB) and the flaring branch (FB), while for the NICER ones the variability can be associated with the FB branch. The source spectra at different regions of the branches are well described by accretion disk emission, blackbody surface emission and a thermal Comptonization component. In the NB, the total bolometric unabsorbed flux remains constant and the variation is due to changes in the Comptonization, disk fluxes. In particular, the inferred luminosity ($L_{\rm T}$) and accretion rate ($\dot M$) remain constant, while there is significant variation in the inner disk radii and fraction of disk photons entering the corona, indicating changes in the geometry of the system. On the other hand, in the FB, there is significant variation in luminosity from $\sim 4.0$ to $\sim 7.0 \times 10^{38}$ ergs s$^{-1}$. Despite this significant variation in luminosity and in the inner disk radii, the accretion efficiency defined as $η= L_{\rm T}/{\dot M} c^2$, remains nearly constant at $\sim 0.20$ throughout the evolution of the source, as expected for a neutron star system.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_21679
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Spectral evolution of GX 17+2 using AstroSat and NICER observations
Bhattacherjee, Sree
Misra, Ranjeev
Sarkar, Biplob
Jithesh, V.
Roy, Jayashree
Bhulla, Yashpal
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
We study the spectral evolution of the Z-track source GX 17+2 using AstroSat and NICER observations taken between 2016 and 2020. The AstroSat observations cover the period when the source is in the normal branch (NB) and the flaring branch (FB), while for the NICER ones the variability can be associated with the FB branch. The source spectra at different regions of the branches are well described by accretion disk emission, blackbody surface emission and a thermal Comptonization component. In the NB, the total bolometric unabsorbed flux remains constant and the variation is due to changes in the Comptonization, disk fluxes. In particular, the inferred luminosity ($L_{\rm T}$) and accretion rate ($\dot M$) remain constant, while there is significant variation in the inner disk radii and fraction of disk photons entering the corona, indicating changes in the geometry of the system. On the other hand, in the FB, there is significant variation in luminosity from $\sim 4.0$ to $\sim 7.0 \times 10^{38}$ ergs s$^{-1}$. Despite this significant variation in luminosity and in the inner disk radii, the accretion efficiency defined as $η= L_{\rm T}/{\dot M} c^2$, remains nearly constant at $\sim 0.20$ throughout the evolution of the source, as expected for a neutron star system.
title Spectral evolution of GX 17+2 using AstroSat and NICER observations
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.21679