Inclination-dependent spectral and timing properties in transient black hole X-ray binaries

Abstract

We use a simple one-dimensional parameterisation of timing properties to show that hard and hard-intermediate state transient black hole X-ray binaries with the same power-spectral shape have systematically harder X-ray power-law emission in higher-inclination systems. We also show that the power-spectral shape and amplitude of the broadband noise (with low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations, QPOs, removed) is independent of inclination, confirming that it is well-correlated with the intrinsic structure of the emitting regions and that the "type C" QPO, which is inclination-dependent, has a different origin to the noise, probably geometric. Our findings suggest that the power-law emission originates in a corona which is flattened in the plane of the disc, and not in a jet-like structure which would lead to softer spectra at higher inclinations. However, there is tentative evidence that the inclination-dependence of spectral shape breaks down deeper into the hard state. This suggests either a change in the coronal geometry and possible evidence for contribution from jet emission, or alternatively an even more optically thin flow in these states.