Understanding black hole systems in their canonical hard state is a major goalof high energy astrophysics. This state features a hard X-ray spectrum, a highlevel of timing noise, and emission from a jet at radio, infrared, and perhapshigher frequencies. Observations can constrain the theoretical models byanswering two questions: Does the inner edge of the accretion disk recede in thehard state?; and how is the accretion geometry related to the presence of a jet?Here, we propose to extend X-ray and radio studies of the hard state to low fluxlevels in order to answer these questions.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2010-10-09T02:35:57Z/2010-10-10T02:36:12Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr John Tomsick, 2011, 'Constraining the Hard State Accretion Geometry for Black Hole Binaries', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-zea5faw
