Related papers: X-ray polarization fluctuations induced by cloud e…
We investigate aperiodic X-ray flux variability in accreting highly magnetized neutron stars - X-ray pulsars (XRPs). The X-ray variability is largely determined by mass accretion rate fluctuations at the NS surface, which replicate…
Eclipsing of the X-ray emitting region in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is a potentially powerful probe to examine the AGN environment and absorber properties. Here we study the eclipse data from the 2016 XMM-Newton observation of NGC 6814…
We have monitored the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3227 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) since January 1999. During late 2000 and early 2001 we observed an unusual hardening of the 2-10 keV X-ray spectrum which lasted several months. The…
We study 12 Seyfert 1 galaxies with a high level of optical polarization. Optical light emerging from the innermost regions is predominantly scattered in a polar region above the central engine directly in our line of sight. These sources…
The intense magnetic fields of neutron stars naturally lead to strong anisotropy and polarization of radiation emanating from their surfaces, both being sensitive to the hot spot position on the surface. Accordingly, pulse phase-resolved…
The extended X-ray emission observed in the direction of several molecular clouds in the central molecular zone of our Galaxy exhibits spectral and temporal properties consistent with the X-ray echo scenario. This concept postulates that…
We discuss a model of X-ray variability of active galactic nuclei (AGN). We consider multiple spots which originate on the surface of an accretion disk following intense irradiation by coronal flares. The spots move with the disk around the…
We report a time averaged 2--8 keV X-ray polarization degree (PD) of $8.5\pm 1.6\%$ ($>3 \sigma$ detection) from the accretion-disc-corona (ADC) neutron-star system 2S 0921-630 (=V395 Car) observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry…
In this lecture note, we make the case for new (spectro)polarimetric measurements of "changing-look" AGNs (CLAGNs), a subclass of the AGN family tree that shows long-term (months to years) large flux variability associated with the…
This dissertation elaborates on X-ray polarisation features of astrophysical environments near accreting black holes. Although the work was originally assigned to supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei, the results are also…
In accordance with the AGN Unified Model, observed polarization can be related to the orientation of the line of sight with respect to the torus. AGN X-ray emission arises from the central region and carries the imprints of the obscuring…
Star-forming galaxies which are too faint to be detected individually produce intensity fluctuations in the cosmic background light. This contribution needs to be taken into account as a foreground when using the primordial signal to…
We present the expected X-ray polarization signal resulting from distant reprocessing material around black holes. Using a central isotropic power-law emission at the center of the simulated model, we add distant equatorial and axially…
AX J1745.6-2901 is an eclipsing low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) in the Galactic Centre (GC). It shows significant X-ray excess emission during the eclipse phase, and its eclipse light curve shows an asymmetric shape. We use archival XMM-Newton…
XY Ari is one of the few known eclipsing intermediate polars. We present results from a detailed analysis of an unpublished archival observation using XMM-Newton EPIC pn and MOS data in a quiescent state of XY Ari. The X-ray orbital…
Obscuration from clumpy accretion-disk winds has been invoked to explain the extreme X-ray weakness and X-ray variability observed in a substantial fraction of super-Eddington accreting quasars. We present a comprehensive study of the…
We present new evidence of X-ray absorption variability on time scales from a few hours to a few days for several nearby bright AGNs. The observed N_H variations imply that the X-ray absorber is made of clouds eclipsing the X-ray source…
Obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are thought to be very common in the Universe. Observations and surveys have shown that the number of sources increases for near galaxies and at the low-luminosity regime (the so-called LLAGNs).…
The X-ray spectra of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are complex and vary rapidly in time as seen in recent observations. Magnetic flares above the accretion disk can account for the extreme variability of AGN. They also explain the observed…
The surfaces of neutron stars are sources of strongly polarized soft X rays due to the presence of strong magnetic fields. Radiative transfer mediated by electron scattering and free-free absorption is central to defining local surface…