English

Black Hole Accretion in Transient X-Ray Binaries

Astrophysics 2017-08-23 v2

Abstract

Recent work on the modes of accretion onto black holes (BHs) in Soft X-Ray Transients (SXTs) is reviewed, with an emphasis on uncertainties affecting models of accretion during quiescence (inner hot flow, outer thin disk). Various interpretations of the quiescent X-ray luminosity difference between systems containing neutron stars (NSs) and systems containing BH candidates are also summarized. A new scenario, which does not require BH candidates to possess an event horizon, is presented here. This scenario may be ruled out in the future, from detailed X-ray spectroscopic diagnostics or from the absence of type I X-ray bursts in systems containing BH candidates.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0111469,
  title  = {Black Hole Accretion in Transient X-Ray Binaries},
  author = {Kristen Menou},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0111469},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

15 pages, Proceedings of the 2nd KIAS Astrophysics Workshop "Current High-Energy Emission around Black Holes"