A two-component Comptonization model for the type-B QPO in MAXI J1348-630

Spectral-timing analysis of the fast variability observed in X-rays is a powerful tool to study the physical and geometrical properties of the accretion/ejection flows in black hole (BH) binaries. The origin of type-B quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO), predominantly observed in BH candidates in the soft-intermediate state, has been linked to emission arising from the relativistic jet. In this state, the X-ray spectrum is characterized by a soft-thermal blackbody-like emission due to the accretion disc, an iron emission line (in the 6-7 keV range), and a power-law-like hard component due to inverse-Compton scattering of the soft-photon source by hot electrons in a corona or the relativistic jet itself. The spectral-timing properties of MAXI J1348-630 have been recently studied using observations obtained with the NICER observatory. The data show a strong type-B QPO at similar to 4.5 Hz with increasing fractional rms amplitude with energy and positive lags with respect to a reference band at 2-2.5 keV. We use a variable-Comptonization model that assumes a sinusoidal coherent oscillation of the Comptonized X-ray flux and the physical parameters of the corona at the QPO frequency, to fit simultaneously the energy-dependent fractional rms amplitude and phase lags of this QPO. We show that two physically connected Comptonization regions can successfully explain the radiative properties of the QPO in the full 0.8-10 keV energy range.

Automated summary

The spectral-timing analysis of X-ray fast variability in black hole binaries reveals important properties of the accretion/ejection flows. The type-B QPO observed in the soft-intermediate state is linked to emission from the relativistic jet, as shown in MAXI J1348-630 using a variable-Comptonization model. This study demonstrates that two physically connected Comptonization regions can successfully explain the radiative properties of the QPO.