Properties of the Diffuse X-ray Background toward MBM20 with Suzaku

TL;DR

This study uses Suzaku to analyze the diffuse X-ray background toward MBM20, revealing changes in foreground flux likely due to Solar Wind Charge eXchange and characterizing its emission features.

Contribution

It provides new Suzaku observations that distinguish foreground and background X-ray emissions and compares them with previous data and models to understand SWCX effects.

Findings

Significant change in foreground flux attributed to SWCX.

Characterization of O VII and O VIII emission from SWCX.

Comparison with previous observations shows variability in foreground X-ray flux.

Abstract

We used Suzaku observations of the molecular cloud MBM20 and a low neutral hydrogen column density region nearby to separate and characterize the foreground and background diffuse X-ray emission. A comparison with a previous observation of the same regions with XMM-Newton indicates a significant change in the foreground flux which is attributed to Solar Wind Charge eXchange (SWCX). The data have also been compared with previous results from similar "shadow" experiments and with a SWCX model to characterize its O VII and O VIII emission.