Probing the precession of the inner accretion disk in Cygnus X-1
Abstract
We show that changes in the orientation of the inner accretion disk of Cygnus X-1 affect the shape of the broad Fe Kα emission line emitted from this object, in such a way that eV-level spectral resolution observations (such as those that will be carried out by the ASTRO-E2 satellite) can be used to analyze the dynamics of the disk. We here present a potential diagnostic tool, supported by numerical simulations, by which a few observations of Cygnus X-1, separated in time, can determine whether its accretion disk actually precesses, and if so, determine its period and precession angle. This approach could also be used for similar studies in other microquasar systems.
Turn this paper into a full lesson
ArcXiv compiles a staged curriculum from this paper: 8-12 lessons across beginner → advanced, synthesised section guides, visuals, flashcards, a quiz, exercises, and on-demand deep dives per section. Grounded in the abstract, never invented.