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NuSTAR and Swift observations of the very high state in GX 339-4: Weighing the black hole with X-rays

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abstract

We present results from spectral fitting of the very high state of GX~339-4 with NuSTAR and Swift. We use relativistic reflection modelling to measure the spin of the black hole and inclination of the inner disk, and find a spin of $a=0.95^{+0.02}_{-0.08}$ and inclination of $30${\deg}$\pm1$ (statistical errors). These values agree well with previous results from reflection modelling. With the exceptional sensitivity of NuSTAR at the high-energy side of the disk spectrum, we are able to constrain multiple physical parameters simultaneously using continuum fitting. By using the constraints from reflection as input for the continuum fitting method, we invert the conventional fitting procedure to estimate the mass and distance of GX~339-4 using just the X-ray spectrum, finding a mass of $9.0^{+1.6}_{-1.2}M_\odot$ and distance of $8.4\pm0.9$ kpc (statistical errors).

fields

astro-ph.HE 1

years

2026 1

verdicts

ACCEPT 1

representative citing papers

Physics and Astrophysics of Black Holes with eXTP

astro-ph.HE · 2026-07-10 · accept · novelty 2.0

eXTP’s larger effective area and simultaneous polarimetry will tighten black-hole spin and Kerr-deviation constraints relative to NICER for the same exposure.

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  • Physics and Astrophysics of Black Holes with eXTP astro-ph.HE · 2026-07-10 · accept · none · ref 21 · internal anchor

    eXTP’s larger effective area and simultaneous polarimetry will tighten black-hole spin and Kerr-deviation constraints relative to NICER for the same exposure.