The Hard X‐Ray Tails in Neutron Star Low‐Mass X‐Ray Binaries:BeppoSAXObservations and Possible Theoretical Explanation of the Case of GX 17 \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $+$ \end{document} 2

Abstract

We report results of a new spectral analysis of two BeppoSAX observations of the Z source GX 17+2. In one of the two observations the source exhibits a powerlaw-like hard (> 30 keV) X-ray tail which was described in a previous work by a hybrid Comptonization model. Recent high-energy observations with INTEGRAL of a sample of Low Mass X-Ray Binaries including both Z and atoll classes have shown that bulk (dynamical) Comptonization of soft photons can be a possible alternative mechanism for producing hard X-ray tails in such systems. We start from the INTEGRAL results and we exploit the broad-band capability of BeppoSAX to better investigate the physical processes at work. We use GX 17+2 as a representative case. Moreover, we suggest that weakening (or disappearance) of the hard X-ray tail can be explained by increasing radiation pressure originated at the surface of the neutron star (NS). As a result the high radiation pressure stops the bulk inflow and consequently this radiation feedback of the NS surface leads to quenching the bulk Comptonization.