Related papers: Black Hole Binaries in Quiescence
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…
X-ray spectroscopy of galactic black hole binaries serve as a powerful tool to gain an overall understanding of the system. Not only can the properties of the accretion disk be studied in detail, the fundamental properties of the black hole…
It is widely believed that the spin of black holes in X-ray binaries is mainly natal. A significant spin-up from accretion is not possible. If the secondary has a low mass, the black hole spin cannot change too much even if the black hole…
We review our current understanding of the radio properties of black hole X-ray binaries in connection with the X-ray spectral states, and discuss them in the framework of the recently proposed unified model for the jet-accretion coupling…
We have conducted a deep radio survey of a sample of black hole X-ray binaries in the hard and quiescent states, to determine whether any systems were sufficiently bright for astrometric follow-up with high-sensitivity very long baseline…
The optical light curves of quiescent black hole low-mass X-ray binaries often exhibit significant non-ellipsoidal variabilities, showing the photospheric radiation of the companion star is veiled by other source of optical emission.…
The origin of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) is unknown even though they have traditionally been connected to supernovae based on energetic arguments. In the past decades, Galactic black holes in X-ray binaries (BHXBs) have been proposed as…
In this short review we describe some of the latest endeavours to understand the activity around Black Holes. First, it has been possible to demonstrate that a large part of the electromagnetic emission observed can be interpreted as…
Black holes in dense astrophysical environments, such as globular clusters or in the vicinity of other massive objects, may possess accelerations. Such acceleration would modulate the characteristics of the quasi-periodic oscillations…
We review the likely population, observational properties, and broad implications of stellar-mass black holes and ultraluminous x-ray sources. We focus on the clear empirical rules connecting accretion and outflow that have been established…
I review the astrophysical insights arising from high-precision astrometric observations of X-ray binary systems, focussing primarily (but not exclusively) on recent results with very long baseline interferometry. Accurate,…
With the availability of the large database of black-hole transients from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer, the observed phenomenology has become very complex. The original classification of the properties of these systems in a series of…
Coalescing massive black hole binaries are powerful emitters of gravitational waves, in the LISA sensitivity range for masses M_BH ~ 10^{4-7} M_sun. According to hierarchical galaxy merger models, binary black holes should form frequently,…
The state of the searches for isolated black holes, non-accreting black holes in binary systems and, finally, the accreting black holes in the X-ray binaries is presented. The third category is, by far, the most important source of…
The properties of X-ray emission from accreting black holes are reviewed. The contemporary observational picture and current status of theoretical understanding of accretion and formation of X-ray radiation in the vicinity of the compact…
In the last decade multi-wavelength observations have demonstrated the importance of jets in the energy output of accreting black hole binaries. The observed correlations between the presence of a jet and the state of the accretion flow…
Stars with an initial mass more than ~25 Msun are thought to ultimately become black holes. Then stellar-mass black holes should be ubiquitous but fewer than 20 have been found in our Galaxy to date, all of which have been found through…
I shall briefly review the observational properties of radio-emitting jets from Galactic X-ray binaries in relation with other wavebands: infrared, optical and X-ray. Special attention is paid to recent results obtained with the Spitzer…
We present a unified picture to explain the spectral states of BH binaries based on the two-flow model. In our view, the central regions have a multi-flow configuration consisting in (1) an outer standard accretion disc (SAD) down to a…
This is the first of two papers in which we address the physics of the low-frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillation (QPO) of X-ray binaries, in particular those hosting a black hole. We discuss and repeat the recent analysis and spectral…