Fe K$\alpha$ and Fe K$\beta$ line detection in the NuSTAR spectrum of the ultra-bright Z-source Scorpius X-1

TL;DR

This study analyzes NuSTAR data of the bright Z-source Scorpius X-1, detecting Fe Kα and Kβ lines, and models its spectral emission during different Z-track branches, revealing consistent physical conditions.

Contribution

First NuSTAR spectral analysis of Scorpius X-1 that models its emission during different Z-track branches, detecting Fe lines and characterizing the corona.

Findings

Fe Kα and Kβ lines detected at 6.6 keV and 7.8 keV.

Consistent physical parameters across Z-track branches.

Presence of a hard tail with photon index 2-3.

Abstract

Low-mass X-ray binaries hosting a low-magnetised neutron star, which accretes matter via Roche-lobe overflow, are generally grouped in two classes, named Atoll and Z sources after the path described in their X-ray colour-colour diagrams. Scorpius X-1 is the brightest persistent low-mass X-ray binary known so far, and it is the prototype of the Z sources. We analysed the first NuSTAR observation of this source to study its spectral emission exploiting the high statistics data collected by this satellite. Examining the colour-colour diagram, the source was probably observed during the lower normal and flaring branches of its Z-track. We separated the data from the two branches in order to investigate the evolution of the source along the track. We fitted the 3-60 keV NuSTAR spectra using the same models for both the branches. We adopted two description for the continuum: in the first case we used a blackbody and a thermal Comptonisation with seed photons originating in the accretion disc; in the second one, we adopted a disc-blackbody and a Comptonisation with a blackbody-shaped spectrum of the incoming seed photons. A power-law fitting the high energy emission above 20 keV was also required in both cases. The two models provide the same physical scenario for the source in both the branches: a blackbody temperature between 0.8 and 1.5 keV, a disc-blackbody with temperature between 0.4 and 0.6 keV, and an optically thick Comptonising corona with optical depth between 6 and 10 and temperature about 3 keV. Furthermore, two lines related to the K$\alpha$ and K$\beta$ transitions of the He-like Fe XXV ions were detected at 6.6 keV and 7.8 keV, respectively. A hard tail modelled by a power law with a photon index between 2 and 3 was also required for both the models.