Related papers: Probing Strong Gravitational Fields in X-ray Novae
Gravitational waves open the possibility to investigate the nature of compact objects and probe the horizons of black holes. Some models of modified gravity predict the presence of horizonless and singularity-free compact objects. Such dark…
With the fundamental stress mechanism of accretion disks identified--correlated MHD turbulence driven by the magneto-rotational instability--it has become possible to make numerical simulations of accretion disk dynamics based on…
The article summarizes the observational evidence for the existence of massive black holes, as well as the current knowledge about their abundance, their mass and spin distributions, and their cosmic evolution within and together with their…
The low-energy dynamics of any system admitting a continuum of static configurations is approximated by slow motion in moduli (configuration) space. Here, following Ferrell and Eardley, this moduli space approximation is utilized to study…
In recent years deep X-ray and infrared surveys have provided an efficient way to find accreting supermassive black holes, otherwise known as active galactic nuclei (AGN), in the young universe. Such surveys can, unlike optical surveys,…
Rotational superradiance generates the amplification of incoming waves of sufficiently low frequency when scattered with a rotating absorbing body. This may be used to discover new \emph{bosonic} particles of mass $m_b$ if the rotating body…
The observation of energetic X-ray emission from black holes, inconsistent with thermal emission from an accretion disk, has long indicated the presence of a "corona" around these objects. However, our knowledge of the geometry,…
Since a black hole does not emit light from its interior, nor does it have a surface on which light from nearby sources can be reflected, observational study of black hole physics requires observing the gravitational impact of the black…
The Event Horizon Telescope's image of the M87 black hole provides an exciting opportunity to study black hole physics. Since a black hole's event horizon absorbs all electromagnetic waves, it is difficult to actively probe the horizon's…
Strong field gravitational lensing in the context of both higher spacetime dimensions and in presence of Kalb-Ramond field have been studied. After developing proper analytical tools to analyze the problem we consider gravitational lensing…
Astrophysical black hole candidates are thought to be the Kerr black holes predicted by General Relativity, but the actual nature of these objects has still to be proven. The Kerr black hole hypothesis can be tested by observing strong…
We have accumulated multiwavelength (X-ray, optical, radio) lightcurves for the eight black hole X-ray binaries which have been observed to enter a supposed `soft X-ray transient' outburst, but remained in the low/hard state throughout the…
It is possible that primordial black holes consitute (or consituted) a significant fraction of the energy budget of our universe. Terrestrial gravitational wave detectors offer the opportunity to test the existence of primordial black holes…
Some of the theoretical challenges posed by the general relativistic description of binary systems of compact objects (neutron stars or black holes) are reviewed. We recall the various ways one can use the theory of the motion, and of the…
Accreting black holes show a complex and diverse behaviour in their soft spectral states. Although these spectra are dominated by a soft, thermal component which almost certainly arises from an accretion disc, there is also a hard X-ray…
Today we have quite stringent constraints on possible violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle from the comparison of the acceleration of test-bodies of different composition in Earth's gravitational field. In the present paper, we…
A rotating black hole can be clouded by light bosons via superradiance, and thus acquire an atom-like structure. If such a gravitational atom system is companioned with a pulsar, the pulsar can trigger transitions between energy levels of…
We discuss the observational consequences of black hole spin in X-ray binaries within the framework of the standard thin accretion disk model. When compared to theoretical flux distribution from the surface of a thin disk surrounding a Kerr…
The centre of our Milky Way harbours the closest candidate for a supermassive black hole. The source is thought to be powered by radiatively inefficient accretion of gas from its environment. This form of accretion is a standard mode of…
In gauge theory of gravity, there is direct coupling between the spin of a particle and gravitomagnetic field. In the surface of a neutron star or near black hole, the coupling energy between spin and gravitomagnetic field can be large and…