New evidence for black hole event horizons from Chandra

Michael R. Garcia; Jeffrey E. Mcclintock; Ramesh Narayan; Paul Callanan; Didier Barret; Stephen S. Murray

doi:10.1086/320494

New evidence for black hole event horizons from Chandra

Michael R. Garcia
, Jeffrey E. Mcclintock
, Ramesh Narayan
, Paul Callanan
, Didier Barret
, Stephen S. Murray

School of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Previously we claimed that black hole X-ray novae (BHXNs) in quiescence are much less luminous than equivalent neutron star X-ray novae (NSXNs). This claim was based on the quiescent detection of a single short-period BHXN (A0620-00, P_orb = 7.8 hr) and two longer period BHXNs (GRO J1655-40, P_orb = 62.9 hr; V404 Cygni, P_orb = 155.3 hr), along with sensitive upper limits. Here we announce the detection of two more short-period BHXNs (GRO J0422+32, P_orb = 5.1 hr; GS 2000+25, P_orb = 8.3 hr), an upper limit for a third that is improved by 2 orders of magnitude (4U 1543-47, P_orb = 27.0 hr), and a new, much lower quiescent measurement of GRO J1655-40. Taken together, these new Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer measurements confirm that the quiescent X-ray luminosities of BHXNs are significantly lower than those of NSXNs. We argue that this provides strong evidence for the existence of event horizons in BHXNs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L47-L50
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	553
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/320494
Publication status	Published - 20 May 2001

Keywords

Binaries: close
Black hole physics
Stars: neutron
X-rays: stars

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10.1086/320494

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title = "New evidence for black hole event horizons from Chandra",

abstract = "Previously we claimed that black hole X-ray novae (BHXNs) in quiescence are much less luminous than equivalent neutron star X-ray novae (NSXNs). This claim was based on the quiescent detection of a single short-period BHXN (A0620-00, Porb = 7.8 hr) and two longer period BHXNs (GRO J1655-40, Porb = 62.9 hr; V404 Cygni, Porb = 155.3 hr), along with sensitive upper limits. Here we announce the detection of two more short-period BHXNs (GRO J0422+32, Porb = 5.1 hr; GS 2000+25, Porb = 8.3 hr), an upper limit for a third that is improved by 2 orders of magnitude (4U 1543-47, Porb = 27.0 hr), and a new, much lower quiescent measurement of GRO J1655-40. Taken together, these new Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer measurements confirm that the quiescent X-ray luminosities of BHXNs are significantly lower than those of NSXNs. We argue that this provides strong evidence for the existence of event horizons in BHXNs.",

keywords = "Binaries: close, Black hole physics, Stars: neutron, X-rays: stars",

author = "Garcia, \{Michael R.\} and Mcclintock, \{Jeffrey E.\} and Ramesh Narayan and Paul Callanan and Didier Barret and Murray, \{Stephen S.\}",

year = "2001",

month = may,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1086/320494",

language = "English",

volume = "553",

pages = "L47--L50",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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T1 - New evidence for black hole event horizons from Chandra

AU - Garcia, Michael R.

AU - Mcclintock, Jeffrey E.

AU - Narayan, Ramesh

AU - Callanan, Paul

AU - Barret, Didier

AU - Murray, Stephen S.

PY - 2001/5/20

Y1 - 2001/5/20

N2 - Previously we claimed that black hole X-ray novae (BHXNs) in quiescence are much less luminous than equivalent neutron star X-ray novae (NSXNs). This claim was based on the quiescent detection of a single short-period BHXN (A0620-00, Porb = 7.8 hr) and two longer period BHXNs (GRO J1655-40, Porb = 62.9 hr; V404 Cygni, Porb = 155.3 hr), along with sensitive upper limits. Here we announce the detection of two more short-period BHXNs (GRO J0422+32, Porb = 5.1 hr; GS 2000+25, Porb = 8.3 hr), an upper limit for a third that is improved by 2 orders of magnitude (4U 1543-47, Porb = 27.0 hr), and a new, much lower quiescent measurement of GRO J1655-40. Taken together, these new Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer measurements confirm that the quiescent X-ray luminosities of BHXNs are significantly lower than those of NSXNs. We argue that this provides strong evidence for the existence of event horizons in BHXNs.

AB - Previously we claimed that black hole X-ray novae (BHXNs) in quiescence are much less luminous than equivalent neutron star X-ray novae (NSXNs). This claim was based on the quiescent detection of a single short-period BHXN (A0620-00, Porb = 7.8 hr) and two longer period BHXNs (GRO J1655-40, Porb = 62.9 hr; V404 Cygni, Porb = 155.3 hr), along with sensitive upper limits. Here we announce the detection of two more short-period BHXNs (GRO J0422+32, Porb = 5.1 hr; GS 2000+25, Porb = 8.3 hr), an upper limit for a third that is improved by 2 orders of magnitude (4U 1543-47, Porb = 27.0 hr), and a new, much lower quiescent measurement of GRO J1655-40. Taken together, these new Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer measurements confirm that the quiescent X-ray luminosities of BHXNs are significantly lower than those of NSXNs. We argue that this provides strong evidence for the existence of event horizons in BHXNs.

KW - Binaries: close

KW - Black hole physics

KW - Stars: neutron

KW - X-rays: stars

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0035918360

U2 - 10.1086/320494

DO - 10.1086/320494

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0035918360

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 553

SP - L47-L50

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -

New evidence for black hole event horizons from Chandra

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