Characterizing the quiescent X-ray variability of the black hole low-mass X-ray binary V404 Cyg

Abstract

We conducted the first long-term (75 days) X-ray monitoring of the black hole low mass X-ray binary V404 Cyg, with the goal of understanding and characterizing its variability during quiescence. The X-ray light curve of V404 shows several flares on timescales of hours with a count rate change of a factor of about 5-8. The root mean square variability is Fvar = 57.0(3.2) percent. The first order structure function is consistent with both a power spectrum of index -1 (flicker noise), or with a power spectrum of index 0 (white noise), implying that the light curve is variable on timescales from days to months. The X-ray spectrum is well fitted by a power law with spectral index {\Gamma} = 2.10 - 2.35, and we found that the spectral shape remains roughly constant as the flux changes. A constant spectral shape with respect to a change in the X-ray flux may favour a scenario in which the X-ray emission is dominated by synchrotron radiation produced in a jet.