Coupling between the 45 Hz Horizontal-Branch Oscillation and the Normal Branch Oscillation in Scorpius X-1

Abstract

The observations of the bright persistent neutron star low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) Sco X-1 performed with the {\it Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer} (RXTE) show a $\sim$ 6 Hz normal-branch oscillation (NBO), a $\sim$ 45 Hz horizontal-branch oscillation (HBO), and twin kHz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) on its normal branch simultaneously. We have found that the fractional amplitude of the HBO corresponding to the NBO phase of high flux is 1.1%, while that of the NBO phase of low flux is undetectable, with a 3$\sigma$ upper limit of 0.4%, implying that the HBO strength varies with the NBO phase in an opposite way to that of the lower kHz QPO previously found, and suggests that the condition for the generation of the HBO is met when the NBO flux is high. The 6 Hz NBO in Sco X-1 connects the 45 Hz HBO and the twin kHz QPO together, showing a unique picture indicating a coupling between the QPOs, which has never been observed in other neutron star LMXBs. We discuss the implications for current models of the 45 Hz HBO, the 6 Hz NBO, and the twin kHz QPOs.

10 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJL

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• A connection between accretion states and the formation of ultra-relativistic outflows in a neutron star X-ray binary
• Coupled HBO and NBO variations in the Z source GX 5-1: inner accretion disk as the location of QPOs
• Energy dependence of Normal Branch Oscillation in Scorpius X-1
• Fe K$\alpha$ and Fe K$\beta$ line detection in the NuSTAR spectrum of the ultra-bright Z-source Scorpius X-1