X-ray spectral and timing investigations of XTE J1752-223

TL;DR

This study presents detailed X-ray spectral and timing analyses of the transient black hole candidate XTE J1752-223, revealing its state transitions and spectral characteristics during its outburst observed with RXTE.

Contribution

First comprehensive spectral and timing investigation of XTE J1752-223 across multiple states using RXTE data, illustrating its state evolution.

Findings

Source exhibited canonical black hole states during outburst.

Spectral fits consistent with absorbed broken powerlaw models.

Timing properties aligned with state transitions.

Abstract

We report on X-ray monitoring observations of the transient black hole candidate (BHC) XTE J1752-223 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The source was discovered on 2009 October 23 and during its low/hard state, which lasted for at least 25 days, all timing and spectral properties were similar to those of Cyg X-1 during its canonical hard state. The combined PCA/HEXTE spectra were well fitted by an absorbed broken powerlaw with a high energy cutoff. When RXTE observations were resumed, after an observational gap due to solar constraint, the source was in the hard intermediate state. The evolution through the hardness intensity diagram and the timing properties observed in the power density spectrum suggest that the source crossed all the canonical BHCs states. We discuss the different states and present the results of our spectral and timing investigations.