Discovery of a 57-69 Hz quasi-periodic oscillation in GX13+1

Abstract

We report the discovery of a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) at 61.0+/-1.7 Hz with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer in the low-mass X-ray binary and persistently bright atoll source GX 13+1 (4U 1811-17). The QPO had an rms amplitude of 1.7+/-0.2 % (2-13.0 keV) and a FWHM of 15.9+/-4.2 Hz. Its frequency increased with count rate and its amplitude increased with photon energy. In addition a peaked noise component was found with a cut-off frequency around 2 Hz, a power law index of around -4, and an rms amplitude of ~1.8 %, probably the well known atoll source high frequency noise. It was only found when the QPO was detected. Very low frequency noise was present with a power law index of ~1, and an rms amplitude of ~4 %. A second observation showed similar variability components. In the X-ray color-color diagram the source did not trace out the usual banana branch, but showed a two branched structure. This is the first detection of a QPO in one of the four persistently bright atoll sources in the galactic bulge. We argue that the QPO properties indicate that it is the same phenomenon as the horizontal branch oscillations (HBO) in Z sources. That HBO might turn up in the persistently bright atoll sources was previously suggested on the basis of the magnetospheric beat frequency model for HBO. We discuss the properties of the new phenomenon within the framework of this model.

7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

References in corpus (3)

• Lense-Thirring Precession and QPOs in Low Mass X-Ray Binaries
• Discovery of Two Simultaneous Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in KS 1731-260
• Discovery of KiloHertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in 4U 1735-44

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