An XMM-Newton view of FeKα in High Mass X-rays Binaries

Abstract

We present a comprehensive analysis of the whole sample of available XMM-Newton observations of High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) until August, 2013, focusing on the FeKα emission line. This line is a key tool to better understand the physical properties of the material surrounding the X-ray source within a few stellar radii (the circumstellar medium). We have collected observations from 46 HMXBs, detecting FeKα in 21 of them. We have used the standard classification of HMXBs to divide the sample in different groups. We find that: (1) FeKα is centred at a mean value of 6.42 keV. Considering the instrumental and fits uncertainties, this value is compatible with ionization states lower than Fe XVIII. (2) The flux of the continuum is well correlated with the flux of the line, as expected. Eclipse observations show that the Fe fluorescence emission comes from an extended region surrounding the X-ray source. (3) FeKα is narrow (σ_{line}<0.15 keV), reflecting that the reprocessing material does not move at high speeds. We attempt to explain the broadness of the line in terms of three possible broadening phenomena: line blending, Compton scattering and Doppler shifts (with velocities of the reprocessing material V ∼ 1000 km/s). (4) The equivalent hydrogen column (N_H) directly correlates with the EW of FeKα, displaying clear similarities to numerical simulations. It highlights the strong link between the absorbing and the fluorescent matter. The obtained results clearly point to a very important contribution of the donor's wind in the FeKα emission and the absorption when the donor is a supergiant massive star.