Issue
J. Phys. Colloques
Volume 49, Number C1, Mars 1988
IAU Colloquium N° 102 on UV and X-ray Spectroscopy of Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas
Page(s) C1-47 - C1-50
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jphyscol:1988107
IAU Colloquium N° 102 on UV and X-ray Spectroscopy of Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas

J. Phys. Colloques 49 (1988) C1-47-C1-50

DOI: 10.1051/jphyscol:1988107

IRON K-LINE EMISSION FROM X-RAY BINARIES

K. MASAI1, S. HAYAKAWA2 et F. NAGASE2

1  Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya 464, Japan
2  Department of Astrophysics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464, Japan


Abstract
Emission mechanisms of the iron Kα-lines in X-ray binaries are discussed in relation with the characteristic temperature Tx of continuum radiation thereof. The 6.7 keV line is ascribed to radiative recombination followed by cascades in a corona of ~ 100 eV formed above the accretion disk. This mechanism is attained for Tx ≤ 10 keV as observed for low mass X-ray binaries. The 6.4 keV line observed for binary X-ray pulsars with Tx > 10 keV is likely due to fluorescence outside the He II ionization front.