Compton Scattering of Fe KαLines from Accreting White Dwarfs

Abstract

Compton scattering in the bulk accretion flow of the accretion column in magnetic cataclysmic variables (mCVs) can significantly shift photon energies in the X-ray emission lines resulting from accretion shocks. In particular, Compton recoil can potentially broaden the 6.7 and 6.97 keV Fe K$\alpha$ emission lines produced in the post-shock region, and contaminate the fluorescent 6.4 keV neutral Fe K$\alpha$ line reflected off the white dwarf surface. We present nonlinear Monte Carlo simulations demonstrating these effects, and we discuss the interpretation of observed Fe K$\alpha$ linewidths in mCVs in light of these new results. The implications for other accreting compact objects are also discussed.

arXiv comment7 pages, 3 figs, LaTeX, accepted by PASA

References in corpus (7)

• Effects of Gravity on the Structure of Postshock Accretion Flows in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables
• On the iron Kalpha complex in magnetic cataclysmic variables
• Ionisation Structure in Accretion Shocks with a Composite Cooling Function
• Iron Kalpha line widths in magnetic cataclysmic variables
• X-Ray Beaming due to Resonance Scattering in the Accretion Column of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables
• X-ray polarization properties of the accretion column in magnetic CVs
• The Emission from Post-Shock Flows in mCVs

Cited by in corpus (4)

• X-ray Polarization in Relativistic Jets
• Two-temperature accretion flows in magnetic cataclysmic variables: Structures of post-shock emission regions and X-ray spectroscopy
• X-ray Polarization Signatures of Compton Scattering in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables
• Compton Scattering of Fe K alpha Lines in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables