Disk reflection and a possible disk wind during a soft X-ray state in the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 1RXS J180408.9-342058

TL;DR

This study analyzes X-ray observations of the neutron star binary 1RXS J180408.9-342058 during an outburst, revealing disk reflection features and a potential high-velocity disk wind, providing insights into accretion geometry and outflows.

Contribution

The paper presents detailed spectral analysis during a soft state, constraining the accretion disk's inner radius and inclination, and reports a possible detection of a high-velocity disk wind in a neutron star binary.

Findings

Inner disk extends close to the neutron star at 5-7.5 gravitational radii.

Detected a broad Fe-K emission line indicating relativistic reflection.

Possible evidence of a high-velocity disk wind at ~0.086c.

Abstract

1RXS J180408.9-342058 is a transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binary that exhibited a bright accretion outburst in 2015. We present Nustar, Swift, and Chandra observations obtained around the peak of this outburst. The source was in a soft X-ray spectral state and displayed an X-ray luminosity of Lx~(2-3)E37 (D/5.8 kpc)^2 erg cm-2 (0.5-10 keV). The Nustar data reveal a broad Fe-K emission line that we model as relativistically broadened reflection to constrain the accretion geometry. We found that the accretion disk is viewed at an inclination of i~27-35 degrees and extended close to the neutron star, down to Rin~5-7.5 gravitational radii (~11-17 km). This inner disk radius suggests that the neutron star magnetic field strength is B<2E8 G. We find a narrow absorption line in the Chandra/HEG data at an energy of ~7.64 keV with a significance of ~4.8 sigma. This feature could correspond to blue-shifted Fe xxvi and arise from an accretion disk wind, which would imply an outflow velocity of v~0.086c (~25800 km s-1). However, this would be extreme for an X-ray binary and it is unclear if a disk wind should be visible at the low inclination angle that we infer from our reflection analysis. Finally, we discuss how the X-ray and optical properties of 1RXS J180408.9-342058 are consistent with a relatively small (Porb<3 hr) binary orbit.