Frequency-resolved spectroscopy of Cyg X-1: Fast variability of the reflected emission in the soft state

Abstract

Using RXTE/PCA data, we study the fast variability of the reflected emission in the soft spectral state of Cyg X-1 by means of Fourier frequency-resolved spectroscopy. We find that the rms amplitude of variations of the reflected emission has the same frequency dependence as the primary radiation down to time-scales of ≲30-50ms. This might indicate that the reflected flux reproduces, with nearly flat response, variations of the primary emission. Such behaviour differs notably from that of the hard spectral state, in which variations of the reflected flux are significantly suppressed in comparison with the primary emission, on time-scales shorter than ∼0.5-1 s. If related to the finite light-crossing time of the reflector, these results suggest that the characteristic size of the reflector, presumably an optically thick accretion disc, in the hard spectral state is larger by a factor of ≲5-10 than in the soft spectral state. Modelling the transfer function of the disc, we estimate the inner radius of the accretion disc to be Rin ∼ 100Rg in the hard state and Rin ≲ 10Rg in the soft state for a 10-M⊙ black hole.