Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillation Peak Separation Is Not Constant in Scorpius X-1

We report on a series of 20, similar to 10(5) counts s(-1), 0.125 ms time-resolution Rossi X-Ray Tinting Explorer observations of the Z-source and low-mass X-ray binary Scorpius X-1. Twin kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) peaks are obvious in nearly all observations. We find that the peak separation is not constant, as expected in some beat-frequency models, but instead varies from similar to 310 to similar to 230 Hz when the centroid frequency of the higher frequency peak varies from similar to 875 to similar to 1085 Hz. We detect none of the additional QPO peaks at higher frequencies predicted in the photon bubble model (PBM), with best-case upper limits on the peaks' power ratio of 0.025. We do detect, simultaneously with the kilohertz QPO, additional QPO peaks near 45 and 90 Hz whose frequency increases with mass accretion rate. We interpret these as first and second harmonics of the so-called horizontal-branch oscillations that are well known from other Z-sources and usually interpreted in terms of the magnetospheric beat-frequency model (BFM). We conclude that the magnetospheric BFM and the PBM are now unlikely to explain the kilohertz QPO in Sco X-1. In order to succeed in doing so, any BFM involving the neutron star spin (unseen in Sco X-1) will have to postulate at least one additional unseen frequency, beating with the spin to produce one of the kilohertz peaks.