A truncated accretion disk in the galactic black hole source H1743-322

TL;DR

This study uses X-ray observations of H1743-322 to support the presence of a truncated accretion disk, revealing correlations between QPO frequency changes and X-ray delays, and suggesting a specific inner disk size.

Contribution

It provides evidence for a truncated accretion disk in H1743-322 and links spectral-timing features to disk geometry through detailed analysis and comparison with other sources.

Findings

Detection of anti-correlated hard X-ray lags in observations.

Confirmation of a truncated accretion disk through spectral and timing analysis.

Correlation between QPO frequency change and observed delay.

Abstract

To investigate the geometry of the accretion disk in the source H1743-322, we have carried out a detailed X-ray temporal and spectral study using RXTE pointed observations. We have selected all data pertaining to the Steep Power Law (SPL) state during the 2003 outburst of this source. We find anti-correlated hard X-ray lags in three of the observations and the changes in the spectral and timing parameters (like the QPO frequency) confirm the idea of a truncated accretion disk in this source. Compiling data from similar observations from other sources, we find a correlation between the fractional change in the QPO frequency and the observed delay. We suggest that these observations indicate a definite size scale in the inner accretion disk (the radius of the truncated disk) and we explain the observed correlation using various disk parameters like Compton cooling time scale, viscous time scale etc..