Related papers: DIM light on Black Hole X-ray Transients
We revisit a core prediction of the disc instability model (DIM) applied to X-ray binaries. The model predicts the existence of a critical mass transfer rate, which depends on disc size, separating transient and persistent systems. We…
The disc instability model which is supposed to describe outbursts of dwarf nova and low-mass X-ray binary transient systems is presented and reviewed in detail. Various deficiencies of the model are pointed out and various remedies and…
The most plausible mechanism for triggering the outburst of black hole candidate X-ray transients is the ionization thermal instability. The disk instability models can give the observed mass flow in quiescence, but not the X-ray spectrum.…
We review the timing and spectral evolution of black hole X-ray binary systems, with emphasis on the current accretion-ejection paradigm. When in outburst, stellar mass black hole binaries may become the brightest X-ray sources in the sky.…
(Abridged) We report on a consistent and comprehensive spectral analysis of the X-ray emission of 25 Black Hole X-ray Binaries. All publicly available observations of the black hole binaries in the RXTE archive were analysed. Three…
We suggest a new scenario to explain the outburst light curves of black hole soft X-ray transients together with the secondary maximum and the bump seen on their decay phases. Our explanations are based on the disk instability models…
Black hole X-ray binaries are transient probably because their discs are subject to the same thermal-viscous instability which is present in dwarf nova binary systems. I discuss applications of the dwarf-nova instability model to transient,…
The outbursts of black hole X-ray transients can be understood as caused by a limit cycle instability in the accretion disk, similar to dwarf nova outbursts. For adequately low mass overflow rates from the companion star long outburst…
The observations and theory of the exciting new class of galactic black hole X-ray transients is reviewed. Seven of these systems have measured mass functions or mass estimates in excess of stable neutron stars, making them excellent black…
I discuss some aspects of the Disc Instability Model applied to outbursts in various types of binary systems. I lament the general lack of interest in the subject.
Confronting the predictions of numerical calculations with observations is an important tool to progress with our understanding of the mechanism triggering the outbursts of dwarf novae and soft X-ray transients. Simultaneous…
Context. The disc instability model (DIM) successfully explains why many accreting compact binary systems exhibit outbursts, during which their luminosity increases by orders of magnitude. The DIM correctly predicts which systems should be…
We examine in detail several aspects of the physics of accretion disks of possible relevance to the outburst mechanism of the black hole X-ray transients. We adopt the one dimensional, time dependent model described in detail by Cannizzo,…
I review the basics of the disc instability model (DIM) for dwarf novae and soft-X-ray transients and its most recent developments, as well as the current limitations of the model, focusing on the dwarf nova case. Although the DIM uses the…
A small group of X-ray binaries currently provides the best evidence for the existence of stellar-mass black holes. These objects are interacting binary systems where the X-rays arise from accretion of material onto a compact object (i.e.…
The X-ray light-curves of the recurring outbursts observed in low-mass X-ray binaries provide strong test beds for constraining (still) poorly understood disc-accretion processes. These light-curves act as a powerful diagnostic to probe the…
The majority of the ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in external galaxies are believed to be accreting black holes in binary systems; some of the black holes could be as massive as $\sim 100-1000 \ms$. We have performed evolution…
We review the properties and behavior X-ray binaries that contain an accreting black hole. The larger majority of such systems are X-ray transients, and many of them were observed in daily pointings with RXTE throughout the course of their…
Black hole binary systems can emit very bright and rapidly varying X-ray signals when material from the companion accretes onto the black hole, liberating huge amounts of gravitational potential energy. Central to this process of accretion…
We present an accretion cycle which can explain state transitions and other observed phenomena in black hole X-ray binaries. This model is based on the process of disc tearing, where individual rings of gas break off the disc and precess…