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Session 45 - New Insights on X-ray Binaries.
Display session, Wednesday, June 11
South Main Hall,
We report on an observation of the high mass binary X-ray pulsar Centaurus X-3 with RXTE outside of X-ray eclipse. Previous observations suggest the possible presence of a cyclotron absorption feature. The X-ray spectrum of Cen X-3 is also modified by reflection from relatively unionized matter near the neutron star, which gives rise to a pulsed iron fluorescent line. During the ASM-triggered observation the source was in its high state. This, and the high effective area of the PCA allowed us to resolve individual 4.8 s pulses with good counting statistics. The average pulse profile is asymmetric with a small interpulse, characteristic of the high state. The pulse shape varies significantly from pulse to pulse. We performed pulse-phase resolved spectroscopy in the 2-100 keV band to investigate the influence of reflection and cyclotron opacity on the spectrum. We present preliminary results and discuss the structure and dynamics of the system.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: audley@lheamail.gsfc.nasa.gov