Impact of the returning radiation on the analysis of the reflection spectra of black holes

Abstract

A fraction of the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the surface of a geometrically thin and optically thick accretion disk of a black hole returns to the disk because of the strong light bending in the vicinity of the compact object (returning radiation). While such radiation clearly affects the observed spectrum of the source, it is often neglected in theoretical models. In the present paper, we study the impact of the returning radiation on relativistic reflection spectra. Assuming neutral material in the disk, we estimate the systematic uncertainties on the measurement of the properties of the system when we fit the data with a theoretical model that neglects the returning radiation. Our NICER simulations show that the inclination angle of the disk and the black hole spin parameter tend to be overestimated for low viewing angles, while no clear bias is observed for high viewing angles. The iron abundance of the disk is never overestimated. In the most extreme cases (in particular, for maximally rotating black holes) the returning radiation flattens the radial emissivity beyond a few gravitational radii. In such cases, it also produces residuals that cannot be compensated by adjusting the parameters of models neglecting the returning radiation. This may be an important issue for interpretation of data from future X-ray missions (e.g. Athena). When we simulate some observations with NuSTAR and we fit data above 10 keV, we find that some conclusions valid for the NICER simulations are not true any longer (e.g., we can get a high iron abundance).

arXiv comment21 pages, 12 figures. v2: refereed version

References in corpus (54)

• On the Absorption of X-rays in the Interstellar Medium
• Constraining Black Hole Spin Via X-ray Spectroscopy
• X-ray reflected spectra from accretion disk models. III. A complete grid of ionized reflection calculations
• Multi-Temperature Blackbody Spectrum of a Thin Accretion Disk around a Kerr Black Hole: Model Computations and Comparison with Observations
• X-ray reflected spectra from accretion disk models. I. Constant density atmospheres
• Testing black hole candidates with electromagnetic radiation
• Suzaku observations of 'bare' active galactic nuclei
• Magnetic Stress at the Marginally Stable Orbit: Altered Disk Structure, Radiation, and Black Hole Spin Evolution
• A rapidly spinning supermassive black hole at the centre of NGC 1365
• Understanding X-ray reflection emissivity profiles in AGN: Locating the X-ray source
• Iron fluorescence from within the innermost stable orbit of black hole accretion disks
• Broad iron K-alpha emission lines as a diagnostic of black hole spin
• Dependence of inner accretion disk stress on parameters: the Schwarzschild case
• X-ray Polarization from Accreting Black Holes: II. The Thermal State
• The lack of variability of the iron line in MCG-6-30-15: general relativistic effects
• The profile and equivalent width of the X-ray iron emission-line from a disk around a Kerr black hole
• Testing the Kerr black hole hypothesis using X-ray reflection spectroscopy
• NuSTAR Spectroscopy of GRS 1915+105: Disk Reflection, Spin, and Connections to Jets
• The Reflection Component from Cygnus X-1 in the Soft State Measured by NuSTAR and Suzaku
• 1H0707-495 in 2011: An X-ray source within a gravitational radius of the event horizon
• Driving extreme variability: The evolving corona and evidence for jet launching in Markarian 335
• Testing the No-Hair Theorem with Observations in the Electromagnetic Spectrum. IV. Relativistically Broadened Iron Lines
• Profiles of emission lines generated by rings orbiting braneworld Kerr black holes
• The broad band spectral variability of MCG-6-30-15 observed by NuSTAR and XMM-Newton
• Testing general relativity with the reflection spectrum of the supermassive black hole in 1H0707$-$495
• A Monte Carlo Markov Chain based investigation of black hole spin in the active galaxy NGC3783
• Towards precision tests of general relativity with black hole X-ray reflection spectroscopy
• Exploring The Effects Of Disk Thickness On The Black Hole Reflection Spectrum
• Testing the Kerr black hole hypothesis using X-ray reflection spectroscopy and a thin disk model with finite thickness
• Thin Disk Theory with a Non-Zero Torque Boundary Condition and Comparisons with Simulations
• On the lamppost model of accreting black holes
• Improved spectral models for relativistic reflection
• Reflection Spectroscopy of the Black Hole Binary XTE J1752-223 in its Long-Stable Hard State
• Reflection spectra of thick accretion disks
• Accretion in Strong Field Gravity with eXTP
• A study of the strong gravity region of the black hole in GS 1354-645
• Multiple X-ray reflection from ionized slabs
• On variability and spectral distortion of the fluorescent iron lines from black-hole accretion discs
• An Examination of the Spectral Variability in NGC 1365 with Suzaku
• Tests of the Kerr hypothesis with GRS 1915+105 using different RELXILL flavors
• Revealing the broad iron Kalpha line in Cygnus X-1 through simultaneous XMM-Newton, RXTE, and INTEGRAL observations
• NuSTAR Observations of the Black Hole GS 1354-645: Evidence of Rapid Black Hole Spin
• Testing the accuracy of reflection-based supermassive black hole spin measurements in AGN
• Modeling bias in supermassive black hole spin measurements
• The relativistic Iron K-alpha line from an accretion disc onto a static non-baryonic compact object
• Returning radiation in strong gravity around black holes: Reverberation from the accretion disc
• Venturing beyond the ISCO: Detecting X-ray emission from the plunging regions around black holes
• Modeling uncertainties in X-ray reflection spectroscopy measurements II: Impact of the radiation from the plunging region
• Gravitational effects on the high energy emission of accreting black holes
• Modeling uncertainties in X-ray reflection spectroscopy measurements I: Impact of higher order disk images
• Comptonization in the vicinity of black hole horizon
• The lamppost model: effects of photon trapping, the bottom lamp and disc truncation
• Geometry of the X-ray source 1H 0707-495
• Spectral line broadening in magnetized black holes

Cited by in corpus (27)

• Towards precision measurements of accreting black holes using X-ray reflection spectroscopy
• The Effect of Returning Radiation on Relativistic Reflection
• Testing General Relativity with NuSTAR data of Galactic Black Holes
• Testing the Kerr Black Hole Hypothesis with GX 339-4 by a combined analysis of its thermal spectrum and reflection features
• Constraints on Einstein-Maxwell dilaton-axion gravity from X-ray reflection spectroscopy
• Testing regular black holes with X-ray and GW data
• Reflection spectra of accretion disks illuminated by disk-like coronae
• The hard to soft transition of GX 339-4 as seen by Insight-HXMT
• Testing General Relativity with black hole X-ray data: a progress report
• Impact of the disk thickness on X-ray reflection spectroscopy measurements
• The spins of the Galactic black holes in MAXI J1535-571 and 4U 1630-472 from Insight-HXMT
• XMM-Newton Observations of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy IRAS 13224$-$3809 : X-ray Spectral Analysis II
• Testing relativistic reflection models with GRMHD simulations of accreting black holes
• Constraining the KRZ deformation parameters I: limits from supermassive black hole X-ray data
• X-ray spectra of black hole X-ray binaries with returning radiation
• Towards more accurate synthetic reflection spectra: improving the calculations of returning radiation
• Testing the Weak Equivalence Principle near black holes
• Electromagnetic signatures of strong-field gravity from accreting black holes
• The bright black hole X-ray binary 4U 1543--47 during 2021 outburst: a thick accretion disk inflated by high luminosity
• Impact of the returning radiation in current tests of the Kerr black hole hypothesis using X-ray reflection spectroscopy
• Testing Gravity with Black Hole X-Ray Data
• Impact of ionization and electron density gradients in X-ray reflection spectroscopy measurements
• Reflection Spectra of Accretion Disks Illuminated by an Off-Axis Corona
• Impact of the returning radiation on X-ray reflection spectroscopy measurements: the case of Galactic black holes
• Testing Regular Black Holes with X-ray data of GX 339-4
• Tests of General Relativity using black hole X-ray data
• Testing General Relativity with Black Hole X-Ray Data and ABHModels