J/A+A/550/A110 Her X-1 pulse profiles (Staubert+, 2013)
Variable pulse profiles of Her X-1 repeating with the same irregular 35d clock
as the turn-ons.
Staubert R., Klochkov D., Vasco D., Postnov K., Shakura N., Wilms J.,
Rothschild R.E.
<Astron. Astrophys. 550, A110 (2013)>
=2013A&A...550A.110S 2013A&A...550A.110S
ADC_Keywords: Binaries, X-ray ; Pulsars
Keywords: binaries: general - stars: individual: Her X-1 - X-ray: stars -
pulsars: general
Abstract:
The accreting X-ray pulsar Her X-1 shows two types of long-term
variations, both with periods of ∼35 days: 1) Turn-on cycles, a
modulation of the flux, with a ten-day long Main-On and a five-day
long Short-On, separated by two Off-states, and 2) a systematic
variation in the shape of the 1.24s pulse profile. While there is
general consensus that the flux modulation is due to variable shading
of the X-ray emitting regions on the surface of the neutron star by
the precessing accretion disk, the physical reason for the variation
in the pulse profiles has remained controversial. Following the
suggestion that free precession of the neutron star may be responsible
for the variation in the pulse profiles, we developed a physical model
of strong feedback interaction between the neutron star and the
accretion disk in order to explain the seemingly identical values for
the periods of the two types of variations, which were found to be in
basic synchronization. In a deep analysis of pulse profiles observed
by several different satellites over the last three decades we now
find that the clock behind the pulse profile variations shows exactly
the same erratic behavior as the turn-on clock, even on short time
scales (a few 35d cycles), suggesting that there may in fact be only
one 35d clock in the system. If this is true, it raises serious
questions with respect to the idea of free precession of the neutron
star, namely how the neutron star can change its precessional period
every few years by up to 2.5% and how the feedback can be so strong,
such that these changes can be transmitted to the accretion disk on
rather short time scales.
Description:
The matrix below is the data set representing the 3D-template of pulse
profiles, Fig. 3-right of the paper. The values are function of the
pulse phase (center of phase bin) and the 35 day phase. Values are the
pulse profiles (corresponding to the 35 day phase). The complete
matrix is a template for the pulse profiles of Her X-1 in the 9-13keV
range, normalized to the range 0-100 (the DC component of the true
profile is suppressed), and adjusted in pulse phase such that the
sharp edge at the right shoulder of the main peak is at phase 1.0.
35d phase 0 is "turn-on". The profiles are for 128 phase bins with
respect to the 1.24s pulse period.
Objects:
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RA (2000) DE Designation(s)
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16 57 49.81 +35 20 32.4 Her X-1 = V* HZ Her
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File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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ReadMe 80 . This file
table1.dat 1028 121 Matrix representing the 3D-template of pulse
profiles of Her X-1 in the 9-13keV range,
normalized to the range 0-100 (Fig.3 of paper)
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Byte-by-byte Description of file: table1.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 5 F5.3 --- Phase [0.000/0.240] 35d phase (1)
9- 12 F4.2 --- bin1 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0039 (2)
17- 20 F4.2 --- bin2 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0117 (2)
25- 28 F4.2 --- bin3 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0195 (2)
33- 36 F4.2 --- bin4 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0273 (2)
41- 44 F4.2 --- bin5 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0352 (2)
49- 52 F4.2 --- bin6 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0430 (2)
57- 60 F4.2 --- bin7 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0508 (2)
65- 68 F4.2 --- bin8 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0586 (2)
73- 76 F4.2 --- bin9 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0664 (2)
81- 84 F4.2 --- bin10 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0742 (2)
89- 92 F4.2 --- bin11 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0820 (2)
97- 100 F4.2 --- bin12 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0898 (2)
105- 108 F4.2 --- bin13 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.0977 (2)
113- 116 F4.2 --- bin14 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1055 (2)
121- 124 F4.2 --- bin15 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1133 (2)
129- 132 F4.2 --- bin16 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1211 (2)
137- 140 F4.2 --- bin17 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1289 (2)
145- 149 F5.2 --- bin18 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1367 (2)
153- 157 F5.2 --- bin19 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1445 (2)
161- 165 F5.2 --- bin20 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1523 (2)
169- 173 F5.2 --- bin21 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1602 (2)
177- 181 F5.2 --- bin22 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1680 (2)
185- 189 F5.2 --- bin23 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1758 (2)
193- 197 F5.2 --- bin24 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1836 (2)
201- 205 F5.2 --- bin25 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1914 (2)
209- 213 F5.2 --- bin26 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.1992 (2)
217- 221 F5.2 --- bin27 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2070 (2)
225- 229 F5.2 --- bin28 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2148 (2)
233- 237 F5.2 --- bin29 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2227 (2)
241- 245 F5.2 --- bin30 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2305 (2)
249- 253 F5.2 --- bin31 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2383 (2)
257- 261 F5.2 --- bin32 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2461 (2)
265- 269 F5.2 --- bin33 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2539 (2)
273- 277 F5.2 --- bin34 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2617 (2)
281- 285 F5.2 --- bin35 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2695 (2)
289- 293 F5.2 --- bin36 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2773 (2)
297- 301 F5.2 --- bin37 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2852 (2)
306- 310 F5.2 --- bin38 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.2930 (2)
313- 317 F5.2 --- bin39 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3008 (2)
321- 325 F5.2 --- bin40 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3086 (2)
329- 333 F5.2 --- bin41 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3164 (2)
337- 341 F5.2 --- bin42 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3242 (2)
345- 349 F5.2 --- bin43 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3320 (2)
353- 357 F5.2 --- bin44 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3398 (2)
361- 365 F5.2 --- bin45 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3477 (2)
369- 373 F5.2 --- bin46 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3555 (2)
377- 381 F5.2 --- bin47 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3633 (2)
385- 389 F5.2 --- bin48 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3711 (2)
393- 397 F5.2 --- bin49 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3789 (2)
401- 405 F5.2 --- bin50 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3867 (2)
409- 413 F5.2 --- bin51 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.3945 (2)
417- 421 F5.2 --- bin52 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4023 (2)
425- 429 F5.2 --- bin53 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4102 (2)
433- 437 F5.2 --- bin54 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4180 (2)
441- 445 F5.2 --- bin55 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4258 (2)
449- 453 F5.2 --- bin56 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4336 (2)
457- 461 F5.2 --- bin57 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4414 (2)
465- 469 F5.2 --- bin58 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4492 (2)
475- 479 F5.2 --- bin59 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4570 (2)
481- 485 F5.2 --- bin60 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4648 (2)
489- 493 F5.2 --- bin61 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4727 (2)
497- 501 F5.2 --- bin62 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4805 (2)
505- 509 F5.2 --- bin63 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4883 (2)
513- 517 F5.2 --- bin64 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.4961 (2)
521- 525 F5.2 --- bin65 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5039 (2)
529- 533 F5.2 --- bin66 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5117 (2)
537- 541 F5.2 --- bin67 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5195 (2)
545- 549 F5.2 --- bin68 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5273 (2)
553- 557 F5.2 --- bin69 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5352 (2)
561- 565 F5.2 --- bin70 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5430 (2)
569- 573 F5.2 --- bin71 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5508 (2)
577- 581 F5.2 --- bin72 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5586 (2)
585- 589 F5.2 --- bin73 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5664 (2)
593- 597 F5.2 --- bin74 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5742 (2)
601- 605 F5.2 --- bin75 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5820 (2)
609- 613 F5.2 --- bin76 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5898 (2)
617- 621 F5.2 --- bin77 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.5977 (2)
625- 629 F5.2 --- bin78 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6055 (2)
633- 637 F5.2 --- bin79 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6133 (2)
641- 645 F5.2 --- bin80 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6211 (2)
649- 653 F5.2 --- bin81 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6289 (2)
657- 661 F5.2 --- bin82 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6367 (2)
665- 669 F5.2 --- bin83 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6445 (2)
673- 677 F5.2 --- bin84 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6523 (2)
681- 685 F5.2 --- bin85 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6602 (2)
689- 693 F5.2 --- bin86 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6680 (2)
697- 701 F5.2 --- bin87 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6758 (2)
705- 709 F5.2 --- bin88 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6836 (2)
713- 717 F5.2 --- bin89 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6914 (2)
721- 725 F5.2 --- bin90 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.6992 (2)
729- 733 F5.2 --- bin91 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7070 (2)
737- 741 F5.2 --- bin92 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7148 (2)
745- 749 F5.2 --- bin93 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7227 (2)
753- 757 F5.2 --- bin94 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7305 (2)
761- 765 F5.2 --- bin95 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7383 (2)
769- 773 F5.2 --- bin96 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7461 (2)
777- 782 F6.2 --- bin97 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7539 (2)
785- 790 F6.2 --- bin98 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7617 (2)
793- 798 F6.2 --- bin99 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7695 (2)
801- 806 F6.2 --- bin100 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7773 (2)
809- 813 F5.2 --- bin101 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7852 (2)
817- 821 F5.2 --- bin102 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.7930 (2)
825- 829 F5.2 --- bin103 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8008 (2)
833- 837 F5.2 --- bin104 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8086 (2)
841- 845 F5.2 --- bin105 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8164 (2)
849- 853 F5.2 --- bin106 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8242 (2)
857- 861 F5.2 --- bin107 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8320 (2)
865- 869 F5.2 --- bin108 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8398 (2)
873- 877 F5.2 --- bin109 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8477 (2)
881- 885 F5.2 --- bin110 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8555 (2)
889- 893 F5.2 --- bin111 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8633 (2)
897- 901 F5.2 --- bin112 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8711 (2)
905- 909 F5.2 --- bin113 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8789 (2)
913- 917 F5.2 --- bin114 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8867 (2)
921- 925 F5.2 --- bin115 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.8945 (2)
929- 933 F5.2 --- bin116 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9023 (2)
937- 941 F5.2 --- bin117 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9102 (2)
945- 949 F5.2 --- bin118 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9180 (2)
953- 957 F5.2 --- bin119 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9258 (2)
961- 965 F5.2 --- bin120 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9336 (2)
969- 973 F5.2 --- bin121 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9414 (2)
977- 981 F5.2 --- bin122 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9492 (2)
985- 989 F5.2 --- bin123 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9570 (2)
993- 997 F5.2 --- bin124 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9648 (2)
1001-1005 F5.2 --- bin125 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9727 (2)
1009-1013 F5.2 --- bin126 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9805 (2)
1017-1021 F5.2 --- bin127 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9883 (2)
1025-1028 F4.2 --- bin128 Normalized flux for pulse phase = 0.9961 (2)
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Note (1): phase in the super-orbital period of 35d
Note (2): phase in the pulse period of 1.24s
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Acknowledgements:
R. Staubert, Inst. fuer Astronomie und Astrophysik,
Univ. Tuebingen, Germany, staubert(at)astro.uni-tuebingen.de
(End) Patricia Vannier [CDS] 02-Jan-2013