# Correlations in the QPO Frequencies of Low Mass X-Ray Binaries and the Relativistic Precession Model

## 1 Introduction

Old accreting neutron stars, NSs, in low mass X-ray binaries, LMXRBs, display a complex variety of quasi-periodic oscillation, QPO, modes in their X-ray flux. The low frequency QPOs ($`1100`$ Hz), were discovered and studied in the eighties (for a review see van der Klis 1995). In high luminosity Z-sources these QPOs were further classified into horizontal, normal and flaring branch oscillations (HBOs, NBOs and FBOs, respectively) depending on the instantaneous position occupied by a source in the X-ray colour-colour diagram. The kHz QPOs (range of $`0.2`$ to $`1.25`$ kHz) that were revealed and investigated with RXTE (van der Klis 1998, 1999a and references therein) in a number of NS LMXRBs involve timescales similar to the dynamical timescales close to the NS. A common phenomenon is the presence of a pair of kHz QPOs (centroid frequencies of $`\nu _1`$ and $`\nu _2`$) which drift in frequency while mantaining their difference frequency $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu =\nu _2\nu _1250350`$ Hz approximately constant. kHz QPOs show remarkably similar properties across NS LMXRBs of the Z and Atoll groups, the luminosity of which differs by a factor of $`10`$ on average. During type I bursts from seven Atoll sources, a nearly coherent signal at a frequency of $`\nu _{burst}350600`$ Hz has also been detected. Four of these sources display also a pair of kHz QPOs. While in two of these $`\nu _{burst}`$ appears to be consistent, to within the errors, with the frequency separation of the kHz QPO pair $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$, or twice its value $`2\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$, there are currently two sources (4U1636-53, Mendez et al. 1999, and 4U1728-34, Mendez & van der Klis 1999) for which $`\nu _{burst}`$ is significantly different from $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$ and its harmonics.

The $`1560`$ Hz HBO frequency, $`\nu _{HBO}`$, shows an approximately quadratic dependence ($`\nu _2^2`$) on the higher kHz QPO frequency that is observed simultaneously in many Z-sources (Stella & Vietri 1998b; Psaltis et al. 1999). A similar $`\nu _2^2`$ dependence holds also for the centroid frequency of QPOs or peaked noise components of several Atoll sources, suggesting a close analogy with HBOs (Stella & Vietri 1998a; Ford & van der Klis 1998; Homan et al. 1998). Evidence for an equivalent to the NBOs/FBOs of Z-sources has been found in two Atoll sources (Wijnands et al. 1999; Psaltis, Belloni & van der Klis 1999, hereafter PBV).

The origin of these QPOs is still debated. Beat frequency models, BFMs, require that interactions at two distinct radii take place simultaneously. These involve disk inhomogeneities at the magnetospheric boundary and sonic point radius which are accreted at the beat frequency between the local Keplerian frequency, $`\nu _\varphi `$, and the NS spin frequency, $`\nu _s`$, giving rise to the HBOs (Alpar & Shaham 1985; Lamb et al. 1985) and the lower frequency kHz QPOs, at $`\nu _1`$ (Miller et al. 1998a), respectively. The higher frequency kHz QPOs are attributed to the Keplerian motion ($`\nu _2=\nu _\varphi `$) at the sonic point radius. Therefore, the frequency separation $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$ yields the NS spin frequency ($`\nu _s=\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$).

Simple BFMs are not applicable to black hole candidates, BHCs, because the no hair theorem excludes the possibility that an offset magnetic field or radiation beam can be stably anchored to the BH, as required to produce the beating with the disk Keplerian frequency.

A variety of alternative QPO models has been proposed (for a list see PBV). In the relativistic precession model, RPM, the QPO signals arise from the fundamental frequencies of the motion of blobs in the vicinity of the NS. While the higher frequency kHz QPOs (as in other models) correspond to the Keplerian frequency of the innermost disk regions, the lower frequency kHz QPOs originate in the relativistic periastron precession of (slightly) eccentric orbits and the HBOs in the nodal precession of (slightly) tilted orbits in the same regions (Stella & Vietri 1998a, 1999). Within this model both the quadratic dependence of the HBO frequency on $`\nu _2`$ and the decreasing separation $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$ for increasing $`\nu _2`$, observed in several Z and Atoll sources are naturally explained, (The near coincidence of $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$ and $`\nu _{burst}`$, or $`2\nu _{burst}`$, in the framework of the RPM will be discussed elsewhere.) We note that the RPM can be applied to BHCs as well.

In a recent study aimed at classifying the QPOs and peaked noise components of NS and BHC LMXRBs Psaltis, Belloni & van der Klis (PBV) identified two components the frequency of which follows a tight correlation over nearly three decades. This correlation (hereafter PBV correlation) involves both NS and BHC LMXRBs spanning different classes and a wide range of luminosities (see the points in Fig.1). In kHz QPO NS systems, these components are the lower frequency kHz QPOs, $`\nu _1`$, and the low frequency, HB or HB-like QPOs, $`\nu _{HBO}`$. For BHC systems and lower luminosity NS LMXRBs the correlation involves either two QPOs or a QPO and a peaked noise component. In all cases the frequency separation is about a decade and an approximate linear relationship ($`\nu _{HBO}\nu _1^{0.95}`$) holds. Note that the QPO frequencies from the peculiar NS system Cir X-1 varies over nearly a decade while closely following the PBV correlation and bridging its low and high frequency ends. PBV noted also that $`\nu _2`$ vs. $`\nu _1`$ relations of different Atoll and Z-sources line-up with good accuracy (cf. also Psaltis et al. 1998). If confirmed, the strong similarity of the QPO (and peaked noise) properties across NS and BHC systems that the results of PBV unveiled holds the potential to tightly constrain theoretical models for the QPO phenomenon. In this letter we show that the predictions of the RPM accurately match the PBV correlation, without resorting to additional assumptions.

## 2 The Relativistic Precession Model

For the sake of simplicity we consider here blobs moving along infinitesimally eccentric and tilted test-particle geodesics. In the case of a circular geodesic in the equatorial plane ($`\theta =\pi /2`$) of a Kerr black hole of mass $`M`$ and specific angular momentum $`a`$, we have for the coordinate frequency measured by a static observer at infinity (Bardeen et al. 1972)

$$\nu _\varphi =\pm M^{1/2}r^{3/2}[2\pi (1\pm aM^{1/2}r^{3/2})]^1$$
(1)   
(we use units such that $`G=c=1`$). $`\nu _\varphi `$ deviates from its Keplerian value at small radii. The upper sign refers to prograde orbits. If we slightly perturb a circular orbit introducing velocity components in the $`r`$ and $`\theta `$ directions, the coordinate frequencies of the small amplitude oscillations within the plane (the epicyclic frequency $`\nu _r`$) and in the perpendicular direction (the vertical frequency $`\nu _\theta `$) are given by (Okazaki, Kato & Fukue 1987; Kato 1990)

$$\nu _r^2=\nu _\varphi ^2(16Mr^1\pm 8aM^{1/2}r^{3/2}3a^2r^2),$$
(2)   
$$\nu _\theta ^2=\nu _\varphi ^2(14aM^{1/2}r^{3/2}+3a^2r^2).$$
(3)   
In the Schwarzschild limit ($`a=0`$) $`\nu _\theta `$ coincides with $`\nu _\varphi `$, so that the nodal precession frequency $`\nu _{nod}\nu _\varphi \nu _\theta `$ is identically zero. $`\nu _r`$, on the other hand, is always lower than the other two frequencies, reaching a maximum for $`r=8M`$ and going to zero at $`r_{ms}=6M`$, the radius of the marginally stable orbit. This qualitative behaviour of the epyciclic frequency is preserved in the Kerr field ($`a0`$). Therefore the periastron precession frequency $`\nu _{per}\nu _\varphi \nu _r`$ is dominated by a “Schwarzschild” term over a wide range of parameters (cf. Stella & Vietri 1999).

In the RPM the higher and lower frequency kHz QPOs are identified with $`\nu _2=\nu _\varphi `$ and $`\nu _1=\nu _{per}`$, respectively, whereas the HBOs at $`\nu _{HBO}`$ are identified with the 2nd harmonics of $`\nu _{nod}`$ (cf. Stella & Vietri 1998a, 1999). In fact in those few Atoll LMXRBs in which $`\nu _s`$ can be inferred from $`\nu _{burst}`$, using $`\nu _{HBO}=2\nu _{nod}`$ (instead of $`\nu _{nod}`$) provides a fairly good match (Morsink & Stella 1999). The geometry of a tilted inner disk might be such that a stronger signal is produced at the even harmonics of the nodal precession frequency (e.g. Psaltis et al. 1999). By analogy, we assume that also in BHCs $`\nu _{HBO}2\nu _{nod}`$. It should be noticed that, within the RPM, $`\nu _s`$ can be inferred only indirectly (i.e., by fitting $`\nu _{HBO}`$) for those NS systems that do not display coherent pulsations or burst oscillations. Overall the RPM yields a wider distribution of spin frequencies than inferred in BFMs based on $`\mathrm{\Delta }\nu `$ (cf. Stella et al. 1999). A magnetosphere is not required and, if present, must be such that the motion of the blobs is perturbed only marginally, implying magnetic fields $`10^810^9`$ G.

Fig.1A shows $`2\nu _{nod}`$ and $`\nu _\varphi `$ as a function of $`\nu _{per}`$ for corotating orbits and selected values of $`M`$ and $`a/M`$. The high frequency end of each line is dictated by the orbital radius reaching $`r_{ms}`$ (where $`\nu _r=0`$, i.e. $`\nu _\varphi =\nu _{per}`$). It is apparent that $`r_{ms}`$ depends mainly on $`M`$ and to a lesser extent on $`a/M`$.

The separation of the lines in Fig. 1A testifies that while $`\nu _{nod}`$ depends weakly on the mass and more strongly on $`a/M`$, the opposite is true for $`\nu _\varphi `$. By taking the weak field ($`M/r1`$) and slow rotation ($`a/M1`$) limit of Eqs. (1)-(3) the relevant first order dependence is made explicit (we use here $`m=M/M_{}`$)

$$\nu _\varphi (2\pi )^{2/5}3^{3/5}M^{2/5}\nu _{per}^{3/5}33m^{2/5}\nu _{per}^{3/5}\mathrm{Hz},$$
(4)   
$$\nu _{nod}(2/3)^{6/5}\pi ^{1/5}(a/M)M^{1/5}\nu _{per}^{6/5}6.7\times 10^2(a/M)m^{1/5}\nu _{per}^{6/5}\mathrm{Hz}.$$
(5)   
In the case of rotating NSs the stellar oblateness introduces substantial modifications relative to a Kerr spacetime. Approximate expressions have been worked out to calculate the precession frequencies arising from the quadrupole component of the NS field (cf. Morsink & Stella 1999; Stella & Vietri 1999). These approximations, however, break down for NSs spinning within a factor of $`2`$ from breakup. In order to investigate a wide range of NS spin frequencies, we adopted a numerical approach and computed the spacetime metric of the NS using Stergioulas’ (1995) code, an equivalent of that of Cook et al. (1992) (cf. also Stergioulas and Friedman 1995). $`\nu _{nod}`$ was calculated according to the prescription of Morsink & Stella (1999), whereas $`\nu _{per}`$ was derived from the epicyclic frequency $`4\pi ^2\nu _r^2d^2V_{eff}/dr^2`$, with $`V_{eff}`$ the effective potential.

Numerical results are shown in Fig.1B for a NS mass of 1.95 M, a relatively stiff equation of state (EOS AU cf. Wiringa et al. 1988) and $`\nu _s=`$ 300, 600, 900 and 1200 Hz (corresponding to $`a/M=`$ 0.11, 0.22, 0.34 and 0.47, respectively). While also in this case $`\nu _\varphi `$ depends only very weakly on $`\nu _s`$, the approximately linear dependence of $`\nu _{nod}`$ on $`\nu _s`$ is apparent. Note that the approximate scalings in Eqs. (4)-(5) remain valid over a wide range of parameters. Only for the largest values of $`\nu _{per}`$ and $`\nu _s`$, $`\nu _{nod}`$ departs substantially from the $`\nu _{per}^{6/5}`$ dependence.

The measured QPO and peaked noise frequencies giving rise to the PBV correlation, together with the higher kHz QPO frequencies from NS systems ($`\nu _2`$), are also plotted in Fig.1B, to allow for a comparison with the model predictions. The agreement over the range of frequencies spanned by each kHz QPO NS system should not be surprising: together with the accurate matching of the corresponding $`\nu _1\nu _2`$ relationship in Z-sources, this is indeed part of the evidence on which the RPM model was proposed (Stella & Vietri 1998a, 1999). However the fact that the dependence of $`\nu _{nod}`$ on $`\nu _{per}`$ matches the observed $`\nu _{HBO}\nu _1`$ correlation to a good accuracy over $`3`$ decades in frequency (down to $`\nu _1`$ of a few Hz), encompassing both NS and BHC systems, is new and provides additional support in favor of the RPM. The observed variation of $`\nu _{HBO}`$ and $`\nu _1`$ in individual sources (Cir X-1 is the most striking example) provide further evidence in favor of the scaling predicted by the RPM. The agreement of $`\nu _\varphi `$ and $`\nu _{per}`$ with the observed $`\nu _2\nu _1`$ relation is also accurate.

In the case of NS LMXRBs, a good matching is obtained for relatively stiff EsOS (e.g. AU as in Fig.1 and UU), which can also achieve the relatively high masses ($`m1.82.0`$) that are required to match the observed $`\nu _1`$ and $`\nu _2`$ values (on the contrary soft or very stiff EsOS do not produce acceptable results). For EOS AU and $`m=1.95`$, the $`\nu _{HBO}\nu _1`$ values of most NS LMXRBs are best matched for $`\nu _s`$ in the $`600`$ to 900 Hz range. It is apparent from Fig.1b that $`\nu _s`$ as low as $`300`$ Hz are required for a few Atoll sources (notably 4U1608-52 and 4U1728-34). The values above are close to the range of $`\nu _s350600`$ Hz inferred from $`\nu _{burst}`$ in a number of Atoll sources (van der Klis 1999). Z-type LMXRBs, appear to require $`\nu _s`$ in the $`600`$ to 900 Hz range, a possibility that is still open since for none of these sources there exists yet a measurement of $`\nu _s`$ based on burst oscillations or coherent pulsations (cf. also Stella, Vietri & Morsink 1999).

A word of caution is in order concerning the Atoll source 4U1728-34, which displays two distinct branches, one similar to that of Z-sources, the other characterised by $`\nu _{HBO}`$ a factor of $`2`$ lower, and flips from one branch to the other (Ford & van der Klis 1998). (Only the lower branch is plotted in Fig.1, as in the upper branch only the QPOs at $`\nu _{HBO}`$ and $`\nu _2`$ have been observed so far). While this behaviour may be peculiar to this source, still it suggests that, if the lower branch corresponds to $`\nu _{HBO}2\nu _{nod}`$ (in agreement with the $`\nu _s360`$ Hz inferred from $`\nu _{burst}`$ and the idea that only even harmonics of the nodal precession signal are generated), then for the upper branch, $`\nu _{HBO}4\nu _{nod}`$. One could further speculate that the same holds for sources closely following the PBV correlation, Z-sources in particular, such that their $`\nu _s`$ might be expected in the $`300600`$ Hz range.

For BHC LMXRBs the scatter around the PBV correlation implies values of $`a/M`$ in the $`0.10.4`$ range (see Fig.1A). Note that so far no evidence has been found for a BHC QPO (or peaked noise) signal that is the equivalent to the higher kHz QPOs (at $`\nu _2`$) of NS systems. The points from XTE J1550-564 while inconsistent with any single value of $`a/M`$, might lie along two distinct branches, separated by a factor of $`2`$ in $`\nu _{HBO}`$, similar to the case of 4U1728-34.

## 3 Discussion

Interpreting the PBV correlation within the RPM implies that both NS and BHC systems share relatively high values of their specific angular momentum ($`a/M0.10.3`$ for BHCs or $`\nu _s=300900`$ Hz for relatively stiff EOS NSs). An interesting feature of the $`2\nu _{nod}`$ vs. $`\nu _{per}`$ curves obtained from relativistic rotating NS models (see Fig. 1b), is that for high values of $`\nu _{per}`$ the increase of $`\nu _{nod}`$ for increasing $`\nu _s`$ tends to saturate, such that the curves for relatively high values of $`\nu _s`$ are closely spaced. This results from the increasingly important role of the (retrograde) quadrupole nodal precession relative to the (prograde) frame dragging nodal precession. This might help explain the relatively narrow range of $`\nu _{HBO}`$ in Z-sources, if these possess $`\nu _s`$ in excess of $`500600`$ Hz. Population synthesis calculations show that a significant fraction of low magnetic field, relatively stiff EOS NSs in LMXRBs can be spunup by accretion torques to $`\nu _s1`$ kHz, provided that $`>0.30.4`$ M are accreted (Burderi et al. 1999). The combination of the relatively high NS mass and spin frequency required by the RPM is at least qualitatively in agreement with evolutionary scenarios for LMXRBs. Detecting the lower frequency end of the $`\nu _2\nu _1`$ correlation in NS systems would provide an important test of the RPM interpretation.

In the Kerr metric, the increase in $`\nu _{nod}`$ for increasing values of $`a/M`$ shows no signs of saturation (Fig.1A). BHCs can in principle achieve extreme values of $`a/M1`$ (NS are instead limited to values of $`<0.60.7`$, cf. Salgado et al. 1994). In practice spinup to high values of $`a/M`$ is unlikely to occur in BHC LMXRBs, because of the limited mass that can be accreted from the donor star (King & Kolb 1999). In the RPM the higher frequency BHC QPOs (e.g. the $`300`$ Hz QPOs of GRO1655-40) are interpreted in terms of $`\nu _1=\nu _{per}`$ (while the lower frequency QPOs $`\nu _{HBO}=\nu _{nod}`$), implying $`a/M0.10.3`$, in agreement with accretion-driven spinup scenarios. This is at variance with the high values of $`a/M`$ ($`0.95`$ for GRO 1655-40) derived from the $`\nu _1=\nu _{nod}`$ interpretation of Cui et al. (1998). The detection of a QPO signal at $`\nu _\varphi `$ in BHC systems (i.e. the equivalent to the higher kHz QPO at $`\nu _2`$ in NS systems) could provide an additional test of the RPM. Due to the $`\nu _\varphi M^{2/5}`$ scaling (cf. Eq.4 and Fig.1A) the frequency of these BHC QPOs should be somewhat lower than the $`\nu _2`$ of NS systems. The case of the $`300`$ Hz QPOs from GRO 1655-40 is especially interesting in this respect: from Fig.1A it is apparent that the relevant points lie close to the high frequency end of the $`a/M=0.1`$, $`m=7`$ line. Since the mass of the BHC in GRO 1655-40 determined through optical observations is $`7`$ M (Orosz & Bailyn 1997; Shahbaz et al. 1999), we conclude that, according to the RPM, $`\nu _{per}300`$ Hz close to the marginally stable orbit, where $`\nu _\varphi \nu _{per}`$. This suggests that an additional QPO signal at $`\nu _2=\nu _\varphi `$ might well be close to or even blended with the QPO peak at $`\nu _1`$. The detection of two closeby or even partially overlapping QPO peaks close to $`300`$ Hz in GRO 1655-40 would therefore provide further evidence in favor of the RPM interpretation. Similar considerations might apply to the $`284`$ Hz QPOs of XTE J1550-564 (Homan et al. 1999), provided its BHC mass is in the $`7`$ M range.

In the RPM the QPO signals at $`\nu _{nod}`$ and $`\nu _{per}`$ are produced over a limited range of radii. For kHz QPO NS systems these radii are remarkably close to the marginally stable orbit. In the model discussed here the eccentricity and tilt angle are allowed only very small values, such that the QPO frequency variations of a given source are ascribed entirely to variations of the radius at which the signals are produced. As shown in section 2, this is sufficient to interpret the salient features of the $`\nu _{HBO}`$ and $`\nu _2`$ vs. $`\nu _1`$ correlations. Corrections for non-negligible eccentricities or tilt angles are small. In the weak field and slow rotation limit, $`\nu _\varphi `$, $`\nu _{per}`$ and $`\nu _{nod}`$ are independent of the tilt angle, while a finite eccentricity $`e`$ would give rise to a factor of $`(1e^2)^{3/5}`$ and $`(1e^2)^{3/10}`$ on the right hand side of Eqs. 4 and 5 , respectively. The corresponding corrections amount to $`<16`$% for $`e<0.5`$.

The orbital radius is approximately given by $`r/M100m^{2/5}\nu _{per}^{2/5}`$. To interpret in this context the lowest observed values of $`\nu _1`$, i.e. $`2`$ and $`10`$ Hz in NS and BHC systems respectively, radii as large as $`r/M30`$ are required. While $`45`$ times larger than the marginally stable orbit and/or the NS, these radii are still small enough that the gravitational energy released locally can account for the observed QPO amplitudes. At present we can only speculate on the physical mechanism determining the radius at which the QPOs are produced and its variation in each source and across different sources. This radius must decrease for increasing mass accretion rates, as there is much evidence that in Atoll and Z sources the frequency of the kHz QPOs is a reliable indicator of the mass accretion rate. Many NS and BHC LMXRBs display two component X-ray spectra consisting of a soft thermal component, usually interpreted in terms of emission from an optically thick accretion disk, and a harder often power-law like component, that might originate in a hot innner disk region. As the rms amplitude of kHz QPOs and HBOs increases steeply with energy, QPOs are likely associated to the hard spectral component. One possibility is that the QPOs originate at the transition radius between the optically thick disk to the hot inner region, perhaps as a result of occultation by orbiting blobs. A further exploration of this idea is beyond the purpose of this Letter. We note, however, that variations of the inner radius of the optically thick disk have been inferred in a few NS and BHC systems (notably GRS 1915+105, Belloni et al. 1997; see also the case of 4U 0614+091, Ford et al. 1997) through spectral variability analysis. The resonant blob z-oscillations discussed by Vietri & Stella (1998) do occur at well defined radii, but are not relevant to BHCs as they require an offset magnetic field anchored to the accreting star.

In summary the RPM, unlike other models (e.g. BFMs), holds for BHCs as well as NSs; its applications to the striking correlation in the QPO (and/or peaked noise) frequencies of NS and BHC LMXRBs gives remarkably good results.

LS acknowledges useful discussions with T. Belloni, D. Psaltis and M. van der Klis.

## Figure Caption