Combining timing characteristics with physical broadband spectral modelling of black hole X-ray binary GX~339$-$4

Abstract

GX~339$-$4 is a black hole X-ray binary that is a key focus of accretion studies since it goes into outburst roughly every two-to-three years. Tracking of its radio, IR and X-ray flux during multiple outbursts reveals tight broadband correlations. The radio emission originates in a compact, self-absorbed jet, however the origin of the X-ray emission is still debated: jet base or corona? We fit 20 quasi-simultaneous radio, IR, optical and X-ray observations of GX~339$-$4 covering three separate outbursts in 2005, 2007, 2010--2011, with a composite corona + jet model, where inverse Compton emission from both regions contributes to the X-ray emission. Using a recently-proposed identifier of the X-ray variability properties known as power-spectral hue, we attempt to explain both the spectral and evolving timing characteristics, with the model. We find the X-ray spectra are best fit by inverse Compton scattering in a dominant hot corona ($k{T}_{\mathrm{e}}\sim$ hundreds of keV). However, radio and IR-optical constraints imply a non-negligible contribution from inverse Compton scattering off hotter electrons ($k{T}_{\mathrm{e}}\ge 511$~keV) in the base of the jets, ranging from a few up to $\sim 50$\% of the integrated 3--100~keV flux. We also find that the physical properties of the jet show interesting correlations with the shape of the broadband X-ray variability of the source, posing intriguing suggestions for the connection between the jet and corona.

arXiv commentAccepted for publication in MNRAS, 20 pages, 16 figures

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