A statistical study on the low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillation amplitude spectrum and amplitude in GRS 1915+105

Abstract

A statistical study was made on both the energy dependence of the low-frequency quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) amplitude (LFQPO amplitude spectrum) and the LFQPO amplitude from all the RXTE observations of GRS 1915+105. Based on the two-branch correlation of the LFQPO frequency and the hardness ratio, the observations that were suitable for evaluating the LFQPO amplitude spectrum were divided into two groups. According to a comparison between the radio and X-ray emissions, we deduced that the jets during the two groups of observations are very different. A negative correlation between the LFQPO frequency and the radio flux was found for one group. The LFQPO amplitude spectrum was fitted by a power law with an exponential cutoffin order to describe it quantitatively. It reveals that as the LFQPO frequency increases, the power law hardens. Furthermore, the cutoffenergy first decreases, and then smoothly levels off. The fit also shows that the LFQPO amplitude spectra of the two groups are essentially the same, suggesting that the LFQPO does not originate from the jet. The LFQPO amplitude spectra are hard, indicating a possible origin of the LFQPO in the corona. As the LFQPO frequency increases, the LFQPO amplitude first increases and then decreases. The effects of the low-pass filter and the jet on the LFQPO amplitude are discussed ©2013 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.