Letter to the Editor

A simple model for the complex lag structure of microquasars

Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rochester University, Rochester NY 14627-0171, USA e-mail: pvarni@pas.rochester.edu

Received: 2 December 2004
Accepted: 6 March 2005

Abstract

The phase lag structure between the hard and soft X-ray photons observed in GRS 1915+105 and XTE J1550-564 has been said to be “complex” because the phase of the Quasi-Periodic Oscillation fundamental Fourier mode changes with time and because the even and odd harmonics signs behave differently. From simultaneous X-ray and radio observations this seems to be related to the presence of a jet (level of radio emission). We propose a simple idea where a partial absorption of the signal can shift the phases of the Fourier modes and account for the phase lag reversal. We also briefly discuss a possible physical mechanism that could lead to such an absorption of the quasi-periodic oscillation modulation.