Peculiarities of super-Eddington flares from the X-ray pulsar LMC X-4 with NuSTAR

Abstract

We present results of the analysis of super-Eddington flares registered from the X-ray pulsar LMC X-4 by the NuSTAR observatory in the broad energy range 3-79 keV. The pulsar spectrum is well described by the thermal comptonization model both in a quiescent state and during flares, when the peak luminosity reaches values $L_{\mathrm{x}}\sim (2-4)\times 10^{39}$ erg s${}^{-1}$. An important feature, found for the first time, is that the order of magnitude increase in the luminosity during flares is observed primarily at energies below 25-30 keV, whereas at higher energies (30-70 keV) the shape of the spectrum and the source flux remain practically unchanged. The luminosity increase is accompanied by changes in the source pulse profile -- in the energy range of 3-40 keV it becomes approximately triangular, and the pulsed fraction increases with increasing energy, reaching 60-70% in the energy range of 25-40 keV. The paper discusses possible changes in the geometry of the accretion column, which can explain variations in spectra and pulse profiles.

13 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy Letters

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