Related papers: Spectral transitions in X-ray Binaries
Over the past half century, X-ray and radio observations of accreting neutron stars and stellar mass black holes have yielded a rich observational picture with common features including state transitions and jet formation, but also sharp…
In recent years, an increasing number of proper motions have been measured for Galactic X-ray binaries. When supplemented with accurate determinations of the component masses, orbital period, and donor luminosity and effective temperature,…
Two component X-ray spectra (soft multicolor black body plus harder power law) are frequently observed from accreting black holes. These components are presumably associated with the different parts of the accretion flow (optically thick…
In the last decade, high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy has revolutionized our understanding of the role of accretion disk winds in black hole X-ray binaries. Here I present a brief review of the state of wind studies in black hole X-ray…
Over the last 12 years, AGN monitoring by RXTE, has revolutionised our understanding of the X-ray variability of AGN, of the relationship between AGN and Galactic black hole X-ray binaries (BHBs) and hence of the accretion process itself,…
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…
Data derived from general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of accretion onto black holes can be used as input to a postprocessing scheme that predicts the radiated spectrum. Combining a relativistic Compton scattering radiation…
The accretion-ejection activities of black holes play a vital role in shaping the Universe. Bright and recurrent black hole X-ray binaries are ideal objects for studying accretion physics across a wide range of accretion rates, providing…
Black holes are the simplest possible objects, characterised by only mass and spin. We see them via accretion, so there is one more fundamental parameter which is the mass accretion rate. Here I will review how the data from both stellar…
The evolution of an accretion disk, formed as a consequence of the disruption of a star by a black hole, is followed by solving numerically the hydrodynamic equations. The present investigation aims to study the dependence of resulting…
Most transient black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs) spend the bulk of their time in a quiescent state, where they accrete matter from their companion star at highly sub-Eddington luminosities (we define quiescence here as a normalized…
Physical models of X-ray binary outbursts can aid in understanding the origin of 'changing-look' active galactic nuclei (AGN), if we can establish that these two black hole accretion phenomena are analogous. Previously, studies of the…
We present general relativistic radiation MHD simulations of super-Eddington accretion on a $10M_\odot$ black hole. We consider a range of mass accretion rates, black hole spins, and magnetic field configurations. We compute the spectra and…
Soft and hard spectral states of X-ray transient sources reflect two modes of accretion, accretion via a geometrically thin, optically thick disk or an advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF). The luminosity at transition between these…
Circumbinary disks crucially affect the orbital and electromagnetic properties of binary systems across the universe, from stars in our galactic neighborhood to supermassive black hole binaries formed as the result of tumultuous galactic…
A mechanism for the transition between low/hard, high/soft, and steep power law (SPL) spectral states in black hole X-ray binaries is proposed. The low/hard state is explained by the development of a magnetically arrested accretion disk…
Before the launch of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) satellite, the differences in the rapid X-ray variability between the two main types of neutron star binaries (i.e., the Z and atoll sources) could be explained by invoking…
By fitting synthetic spectral models computed via the TLUSTY code, we examine how the spectra from thin accretion disks are expected to vary in accreting black hole systems. We fit color-corrected blackbody models to our synthetic spectra…
X-ray binaries are known to exhibit different spectral states which are often associated with different black hole accretion modes. The exact geometry and properties of these accretion modes is still uncertain. Recent IXPE measurements of…
These notes resulted from a series of lectures at the IAC winter school. They are designed to help students, especially those just starting in subject, to get hold of the fundamental tools used to study accretion powered sources. As such,…