Astronomy and Astrophysics Seminars

The peculiar X-ray binary Cygnus X-3

by Prof. A. A. Zdziarski, (N. Copernicus Astronomical Center, Warsaw, Poland)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 from to (Asia/Kolkata)
at Colaba Campus ( AG-66 )
Description
Cyg X-3 is a peculiar system, the only known X-ray binary in the Galaxy with a Wolf-Rayet companion. Its X-ray spectra are unusual,
showing a high energy cutoff in the hard state at a much lower energy
than that in other X-ray binaries. Its variability is also atypical,
with no power above about 1 Hz. Both facts can be explained by the
effect of a Thomson-thick cloud surrounding the X-ray source. We
determine the optical depth and the size of the cloud, and propose its
origin.
Organised by Prof. J.S. Yadav