Related papers: Multi-Wavelength Variability. Accretion and Ejecti…
Two related topics are discussed. 1. Accretion onto black holes at low and high (though not very high) rates is believed to proceed adiabatically ({\em ie} non-radiatively). It is argued that the liberated energy is carried off by an…
Accretion near black holes (BHs) is multidimensional, with turbulence, resistivity, thermal transport, and dust dynamics all playing essential roles. In cold accretion discs (ADs) or the region of an AD where magnetic fields (MFs) are…
A brief summary of the properties of astrophysical black holes is presented. Various modes of accretion are distinguished, corresponding to accretion at rates from well below to well above the Eddington rate. The importance of mass loss is…
We use the XMM-Newton EPIC-pn instrument in timing mode to extend spectral time-lag studies of hard state black hole X-ray binaries into the soft X-ray band. We show that variations of the disc blackbody emission substantially lead…
The X-ray emission from accreting black hole (BH) systems displays strong variability. Short reverberation lags are expected between the primary hard X-ray continuum and the reprocessed disc emission. These lags depend on light-travel…
In this chapter, I present a summary of observational tests of the basic picture of disk accretion. An emphasis is placed on tests relevant to black holes, but many of the fundamental results are drawn from studies of other classes of…
Fourier power spectra and phases of a signal from a large number of radiating sources orbiting around a black hole are investigated. It is assumed that the individual sources (bright spots) are located in an accretion disc and their…
The spectra of black hole binaries in the low/hard state are complex, with evidence for multiple different Comptonisation regions contributing to the hard X-rays in addition to a cool disc component. We show this explicitly for some of the…
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…
Traditionlly, gravitational wave emission from a coalescing binary system is computed using point mass approximations without considering any accretion disk. However, it is believed that in many of the galactic nuclei, there are…
Current astrophysical research suggests that the most persistently luminous objects in the Universe are powered by the flow of matter through accretion disks onto black holes. Accretion disk systems are observed to emit copious radiation…
X-ray binaries exhibit complex variability patterns studied in the power-spectrum. These include the broad-band noise (BBN) components and various types of narrow components called quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). There is currently no…
Here we investigate the connection of broad emission line shapes and continuum light curve variability time scales of type-1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). We developed a new model to describe optical broad emission lines as an accretion…
Relationships between the X-ray and radio behavior of black hole X-ray binaries during outbursts have established a fundamental coupling between the accretion disks and radio jets in these systems. We begin by reviewing the prevailing…
Accreting supermassive black hole binaries are powerful multimessenger sources emitting both gravitational and EM radiation. Understanding the accretion dynamics of these systems and predicting their distinctive EM signals is crucial to…
Accreting black holes produce collimated outflows, or jets, that traverse many orders of magnitude in distance, accelerate to relativistic velocities, and collimate into tight opening angles. Of these, perhaps the least understood is jet…
The determination of the central black hole mass is crucial to the understanding of AGN physics. In this paper we briefly review some methods that are currently used to estimate the black hole mass of AGNs. Particularly we demonstrate the…
Variability of radio-emitting active galactic nuclei can be used to probe both intrinsic variations arising from shocks, flares, and other changes in emission from regions surrounding the central supermassive black hole, as well as…
Accreting black holes are sources of major interest in astronomy, particular those launching jets because of their ability to accelerate particles, and dramatically affect their surrounding environment up to very large distances. The…
X-rays are a critical wavelength for understanding supermassive black holes (SMBHs). X-rays probe the inner accretion flow, closest to the event horizon, where gas inspirals, releasing energy and driving black hole growth. This region also…