Open AccessX‐ray spectroscopy of the intermediate polar PQ Gem
Author(s) -
James Cynthia H.,
Ramsay Gavin,
BranduardiRaymont Graziella
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05772.x
Subject(s) - physics , white dwarf , intermediate polar , occultation , astrophysics , accretion (finance) , polar , spectroscopy , polarization (electrochemistry) , light curve , absorption (acoustics) , absorption spectroscopy , astronomy , optics , stars , chemistry
Using RXTE and ASCA data, we investigate the roles played by occultation and absorption in the X‐ray spin pulse profile of the intermediate polar PQ Gem. From the X‐ray light curves and phase‐resolved spectroscopy, we find that the intensity variations are the result of a combination of varying degrees of absorption and the accretion regions rotating behind the visible face of the white dwarf. These occultation and absorption effects are consistent with those expected from the accretion structures calculated from optical polarization data. We can reproduce the changes in absorber covering fraction either from geometrical effects, or by considering that the material in the leading edge of the accretion curtain is more finely fragmented than in other parts of the curtain. We determine a white dwarf mass of ∼ 1.2 using the RXTE data.