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Nature Research, Nature Communications, 1(12), 2021

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21169-5

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Insight-HXMT observations of jet-like corona in a black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070

Journal article published in 2021 by Bei You ORCID, Yuoli Tuo ORCID, Chengzhe Li, Wei Wang ORCID, Shuang-Nan Zhang ORCID, Shu Zhang, Mingyu Ge, Chong Luo, Bifang Liu, Weimin Yuan, Zigao Dai, Jifeng Liu, Erlin Qiao, Chichuan Jin, Zhu Liu and other authors.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

AbstractA black hole X-ray binary produces hard X-ray radiation from its corona and disk when the accreting matter heats up. During an outburst, the disk and corona co-evolves with each other. However, such an evolution is still unclear in both its geometry and dynamics. Here we report the unusual decrease of the reflection fraction in MAXI J1820+070, which is the ratio of the coronal intensity illuminating the disk to the coronal intensity reaching the observer, as the corona is observed to contrast during the decay phase. We postulate a jet-like corona model, in which the corona can be understood as a standing shock where the material flowing through. In this dynamical scenario, the decrease of the reflection fraction is a signature of the corona’s bulk velocity. Our findings suggest that as the corona is observed to get closer to the black hole, the coronal material might be outflowing faster.