High Frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in the 2000 Outburst of the Galactic Microquasar XTE J1550-564

Abstract

We present an analysis of the high frequency timing properties of the April-May 2000 outburst of the black hole candidate and Galactic microquasar XTE J1550-564, measured with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. The rapid X-ray variability we measure is consistent with the source being in either the ``very high'' or ``intermediate'' black hole state. Strong (5-8% rms) quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are found between 249-276 Hz; this represents the first detection of the same high frequency QPO in subsequent outbursts of a transient black hole candidate. We also present evidence for lower-frequency QPOs at approximately 188 Hz (3.5 sigma, single trial), also reported previously and likely present simultaneously with the higher-frequency QPOs. We discuss these findings within the context of the 1998 outburst of XTE J1550-564, and comment on implications for models of QPOs, accretion flows, and black hole spin.

14 pages, 4 figures; minor changes from initial version; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal