A new interpretation of the remarkable X-ray spectrum of the symbiotic star CH Cyg

Abstract

We have reanalysed the ASCA X-ray spectrum of the bright symbiotic star CH Cyg, which exhibits apparently distinct hard and soft X-ray components. Our analysis demonstrates that the soft X-ray emission can be interpreted as scattering of the hard X-ray component in a photo-ionised medium surrounding the white dwarf. This is in contrast to previous analyses in which the soft X-ray emission was fitted separately and assumed to arise independently of the hard X-ray component. We note the striking similarity between the X-ray spectra of CH Cyg and Seyfert 2 galaxies, which are also believed to exhibit scattering in a photo-ionised medium.

arXiv comment6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

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• The Symbiotic System SS73 17 Seen with Suzaku
• Detection of X-rays from the jet-driving Symbiotic Star MWC 560
• High-resolution X-ray Spectra Of The Symbiotic Star SS73 17
• XMM-Newton observations of the symbiotic recurrent nova T CrB: evolution of X-ray emission during the active phase
• Peering into the central region of a nano-quasar: XMM-Newton and Chandra views of the CH Cyg Symbiotic System
• Hydrodynamical simulations of the jet in the symbiotic star MWC 560 III. Application to X-ray jets in symbiotic stars
• Spectroscopy of the symbiotic star CH Cygni from 1996 to 2007
• Classification of low-luminosity stellar X-ray sources in the field of the Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy
• X-ray Variability in the Symbiotic Binary RT Cru: Principal Component Analysis
• Simultaneous UBVRI observations of the cataclysmic variable AE Aquarii: temperature and mass of fireballs