Evolution of the Accretion Disk and Corona During the Outburst of the Neutron Star Transient MAXI J1807+132

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spectral and timing evolution of the neutron star transient MAXI J1807+132 during its 2023 outburst, revealing disk truncation, state transitions, and corona size changes through X-ray observations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the outburst evolution, linking spectral states, disk radius, and corona dynamics in a neutron star transient for the first time.

Findings

Disk truncation during hard states and stable last orbit in soft states.

Correlation between characteristic frequencies and inner disk radius.

Complex reflare behavior with high variability and low hardness.

Abstract

Low-mass X-ray binaries with a neutron star as the primary object show a complex array of phenomenology during outbursts. The observed variability in X-ray emission primarily arises from changes in the innermost regions of the accretion disk, neutron star surface, and corona. In this work, we present the results of a comprehensive X-ray spectral and timing analysis of the neutron star transient MAXI J1807+132 during its 2023 outburst using data from the NICER observatory. The outburst is marked by a very rapid rise in the count rate by about a factor of 20 in a day. The source undergoes full state transitions and displays hysteresis effect in the hardness and rms intensity diagrams. Spectral analysis with a three-component model is consistent with disk truncation during the hard states and reaching the last stable orbit during the intermediate and soft states. We discuss the different values of the last stable radius in the context of possible distance of the source and magnetic field strength. The characteristic frequencies throughout the hard and intermediate states are found to be strongly correlated with the inner radius of the disk. Together with the spectral and fast variability properties, we attempt to trace the evolution of the size of the corona along the outburst. Following the main outburst, the source undergoes a high amplitude reflare wherein it shows a complex behavior with relatively high variability (10 %), but low hardness.