Comprehensive Analysis of RXTE Data from Cyg X-1: Spectral Index-Quasi-Periodic Oscillation Frequency-Luminosity Correlations

Abstract

We present timing and spectral analysis of ~ 2.2 Ms of RXTE archival data from Cyg X-1. Using a generic Comptonization model we reveal that the spectrum of Cyg X-1 consists of three components: a thermal seed photon spectrum, a Comptonized part of the seed photon spectrum and the iron line. We find a strong correlation between the 0.1-20 Hz frequencies of quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) and the spectral index. Presence of two spectral phases (states) are clearly seen in the data when the spectral indices saturate at low and high values of QPO frequencies. This saturation effect was discovered earlier in a number of black hole candidate (BHC) sources and now we strongly confirm this phenomenon in Cyg X-1. In the soft state this index-QPO frequency correlation shows a saturation of the photon index Gamma ~ 2.1 at high values of the low frequency ν_{L}. The saturation level of Gamma~ 2.1 is the lowest value found yet in BHCs. The bolometric luminosity does not show clear correlation with the index. We also show that Fe K_α emission line strength (equivalent width, EW) correlates with the QPO frequency. The EW increases from 200 eV in the low/hard state to 1.5 keV in the high/soft state. The observational correlations revealed compel us to propose a scenario for the spectral transition and iron line formation which occur in BHC sources. We also present the spectral state (power-law index) evolution for eight years of Cyg X-1 observations by RXTE.

28 pages, 15 figures and two tables. Accepted for publication in the ApJ

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