Refereed journal article or data article (A1)

ULX pulsar Swift J0243.6+6124 observations with NuSTAR: dominance of reflected emission in the super-Eddington state




List of AuthorsBykov SD, Gilfanov MR, Tsygankov SS, Filippova EV

PublisherOXFORD UNIV PRESS

Publication year2022

JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Journal name in sourceMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

Journal acronymMON NOT R ASTRON SOC

Volume number516

Issue number2

Start page1601

End page1611

Number of pages11

ISSN0035-8711

DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac2239

URLhttps://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/516/2/1601/6665946


Abstract
We report the discovery of the bright reflected emission component in the super-Eddington state of the ultraluminous X-ray pulsar Swift J0243.6+6124, based on the NuSTAR observations of the source during its 2017 outburst. The flux of the reflected emission is weakly variable over the pulsar phase while the direct emission shows significantly larger pulsation amplitude. We propose that in this system the neutron star finds itself in the centre of the well formed by the inner edge of the geometrically thick super-Eddington accretion disc truncated by the magnetic field of the pulsar. The aspect ratio of the well is H/R similar to 1. The inner edge of the truncated disc is continuously illuminated by the emission of the accretion column giving rise to the weakly variable reflected emission. As the neutron star rotates, its emission sweeps through the line of sight, giving rise to the pulsating direct emission. From Doppler broadening of the iron line, we measure the truncation radius of the accretion disc similar to 50 R-g. The inferred dipole component of the magnetic field is consistent with previous estimates favouring a not very strong field. The uniqueness of this system is determined by its moderately super-Eddington accretion rate and the moderate magnetic field so that the inner edge of the truncated geometrically thick accretion disc is seen from the neutron star at a large solid angle.


Last updated on 2022-07-10 at 14:38