X-ray spectral variations of Circinus X-1 observed with NICER throughout an entire orbital cycle

TL;DR

This study presents high-cadence NICER X-ray observations of Circinus X-1 over an entire orbital cycle, revealing spectral variations linked to changes in local absorption and plasma ionization, enhancing understanding of this young neutron star binary.

Contribution

First detailed orbital phase-resolved X-ray spectral analysis of Circinus X-1, identifying stable photo-ionized plasma and variable partial covering effects.

Findings

Spectral states divided into stable, dip, and flaring phases.

Detection of emission lines from highly-ionized Mg, Si, S, and Fe.

Fe lines switch from emission to absorption during phase transitions.

Abstract

Circinus X-1 (Cir X-1) is a neutron star binary with an elliptical orbit of 16.6~days. The source is unique for its extreme youth, providing a key to understanding early binary evolution. However, its X-ray variability is too complex to reach a clear interpretation. We conducted the first high cadence (every 4 hours on average) observations covering one entire orbit using the NICER X-ray telescope. The X-ray flux behavior can be divided into stable, dip, and flaring phases. The X-ray spectra in all phases can be described by a common model consisting of a partially covered disk black body emission and the line features from a highly-ionized photo-ionized plasma. The spectral change over the orbit is attributable to rapid changes of the partial covering medium in the line-of-sight and gradual changes of the disk black body emission. Emission lines of the H-like and He-like Mg, Si, S, and Fe are detected, most prominently in the dip phase. The Fe emission lines change to absorption in the course of the transition from the dip phase to the flaring phase. The estimated ionization degree indicates no significant changes, suggesting that the photo-ionized plasma is stable over the orbit. We propose a simple model in which the disk black body emission is partially blocked by such a local medium in the line-of-sight that has spatial structures depending on the azimuth of the accretion disk. Emission lines upon the continuum emission are from the photo-ionized plasma located outside of the blocking material.