Testing the nature of the black hole candidate in GRO J1655-40 with the relativistic precession model

Abstract

Quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are a common feature in the X-ray flux of stellar-mass black hole candidates, but their exact origin is not yet known. Recently, some authors have pointed out that data of GRO J1655-40 simultaneously show three QPOs that nicely fit in the relativistic precession model. However, they find an estimate of the spin parameter that disagrees with the measurement of the disk’s thermal spectrum. In the present work, I explore the possibility of using the relativistic precession model to test the nature of the black hole candidate in GRO J1655-40. If properly understood, QPOs may become a quite powerful tool to probe the spacetime geometry around black hole candidates, especially if used in combination with other techniques. It turns out that the measurements of the relativistic precession model and of the disk’s thermal spectrum may be consistent if we admit that the black hole candidate in GRO J1655-40 is not of the Kerr type.