Related papers: A simple framework for modelling the dependence of…
A new mechanism to form a magnetic pressure supported, high temperature corona above the photosphere of an accretion disk is explored using three dimensional radiation magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The thermal properties of the…
We discuss the expected X-ray spectral and variability properties of black hole accretion discs at high luminosity, under the hypothesis that radiation pressure dominated discs are subject to violent clumping instabilities and, as a result,…
In the X-ray spectra of AGNs, a noticeable excess of soft X-rays is typically detected beyond the extrapolation of the power-law trend observed between 2-10 keV. In the scenario of warm Comptonization, observations propose a warm corona…
Using three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations with electron and proton thermodynamics and an electron cooling function, we probe the inner radial and vertical structure of weakly magnetized geometrically thin…
The origin of the soft X-ray excess in AGN has been a mystery ever since its discovery. We present how the time variability of this spectral component can point towards its origin. Using the powerful technique of multi-epoch fitting, we…
In this letter, we comment on the robustness of putative cool (kT ~ 0.2 keV) accretion disc components in the X-ray spectra of the most luminous (L ~ 10^40 erg/s) ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in nearby normal galaxies. When compared…
We develop a Monte Carlo Comptonization model for the X-ray spectrum of accretion-powered pulsars. Simple, spherical, thermal Comptonization models give harder spectra for higher optical depth, while the observational data from Vela X-1…
Accretion discs properties should deviate from standard theory when magnetic pressure exceeds the thermal pressure. To quantify these deviations, we present a systematic study of the dynamical properties of magnetically arrested discs…
We developed a new model for the X-ray spectral fitting \xspec package which takes into account the effects of both thermal and dynamical (i.e. bulk) Comptonization. The model consists of two components: one is the direct blackbody-like…
(abridged) The soft excess seen in the X-ray spectra of many high mass accretion rate AGN can be well modelled by reflection from a partially ionised accretion disc. However, the derived parameters are often extreme, both in terms of the…
The soft excess in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) may arise through a combination of relativistic reflection and the effects of a warm corona at the surface of the accretion disc. Detailed examination of the soft excess can therefore…
Turbulent Comptonization, a potentially important damping and radiation mechanism in relativistic accretion flows, is discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the physical basis, relative importance, and thermodynamics of turbulent…
The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data of GRS 1915+105 from several observing periods are modeled with a thermal Comptonization model. Best-fit models indicate that there is a strong correlation between the inner disk temperature and the disk…
In the standard thin disc formalism the dimensionless $\alpha$ parameter is usually assumed to be constant. However, there are good theoretical reasons for believing, as well as evidence from simulations, that $\alpha$ is dependent on…
Warm coronae, thick ($\tau_{\mathrm{T}}\approx 10$-$20$, where $\tau_{\mathrm{T}}$ is the Thomson depth) Comptonizing regions with temperatures of $\sim 1$ keV, are proposed to exist at the surfaces of accretion discs in active galactic…
We develop a Monte-Carlo code to compute the Compton scattered X-ray flux arising from a hot inner flow which undergoes Lense-Thirring precession. The hot flow intercepts seed photons from an outer truncated thin disk. A fraction of the…
Simulations and analytic arguments suggest that the turbulence driven by magnetorotational instability (MRI) in accretion discs can amplify the toroidal (azimuthal) component of the magnetic field to a point at which magnetic pressure…
A phenomenological model of X-ray variability of accreting black holes is considered, where the variable emission is attributed to multiple active regions/perturbations moving radially towards the central black hole. The hard X-rays are…
We present detailed computations of the vertical structure of an accretion disc illuminated by hard X-ray radiation with the code {\sc titan-noar} suitable for Compton thick media. The energy generated via accretion is dissipated partially…
We solve for the structure of a hot accretion disc with unsaturated thermal Comptonisation of soft photons and with advection, generalizing the classical model of Shapiro et al. The upper limit on the accretion rate due to advection…