scholarly journals Spectral evidence of an accretion disc in wind-fed X-ray pulsar Vela X-1 during an unusual spin-up period

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (4) ◽  
pp. 5922-5929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenxuan Liao ◽  
Jiren Liu ◽  
Xueying Zheng ◽  
Lijun Gou
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Column Density ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Momentum Transport ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Angular Momentum Transport ◽  
Eclipse Phase ◽  
Axisymmetric Structure ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
The Continuum

ABSTRACT In classical supergiant X-ray binaries (SgXBs), the Bondi–Hoyle–Lyttleton wind accretion was usually assumed, and the angular momentum transport to the accretors is inefficient. The observed spin-up/spin-down behaviour of the neutron star in SgXBs is not well understood. In this paper, we report an extended low state of Vela X-1 (at orbital phases 0.16–0.2), lasting for at least 30 ks, observed with Chandra during the onset of an unusual spin-up period. During this low state, the continuum fluxes dropped by a factor of 10 compared to the preceding flare period, and the continuum pulsation almost disappeared. Meanwhile, the Fe K α fluxes of the low state were similar to the preceding flare period, leading to an Fe K α equivalent width (EW) of 0.6 keV, as high as the Fe K α EW during the eclipse phase of Vela X-1. Both the pulsation cessation and the high Fe K α EW indicate an axisymmetric structure with a column density larger than 1024 cm−2 on a spatial scale of the accretion radius of Vela X-1. These phenomena are consistent with the existence of an accretion disc that leads to the following spin-up of Vela X-1. It indicates that disc accretion, although not always, does occur in classical wind-fed SgXBs.

scholarly journals Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in Accretion Discs: Towards More Realistic Models

1997 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 210-214
Author(s):  
Ulf Torkelsson ◽  
Axel Brandenburg ◽  
Åke Nordlund ◽  
Robert F. Stein
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Quantitative Change ◽  
Accretion Discs ◽  
Momentum Transport ◽  
Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence ◽  
Accretion Flow ◽  
Angular Momentum Transport ◽  
Main Effects

AbstractThe shearing box has rapidly become the accepted way to investigate turbulence in Keplerian shear flows. In this paper we discuss to what extent and in which way the outcome of the shearing box is affected by the adopted boundary conditions, and how the shearing box can be modified to capture more of the physics of an accretion disc. The original shearing box model is too symmetric to generate a net accretion flow, but the symmetry can be broken by including the main effects of the cylindrical geometry of the real disc. However the quantitative change in the resulting angular momentum transport is small.

scholarly journals A Strong Variation of Accretion Disc Corona Size with Luminosity in LMXB

2004 ◽  
Vol 194 ◽  
pp. 140-143
Author(s):  
M. J. Church
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Emission ◽  
Compact Object ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Spectral Form ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Radial Extent ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Rule Out ◽  
The Continuum

AbstractThe controversy that has existed for many years over the nature of the continuum X-ray emission components in X-ray binaries is reviewed, in which workers have been polarized between the Eastern model with a small central Comptonizing region around the compact object and alternative models. We present measurements of the radial extent of the Comptonizing ADC in low mass X-ray binaries which rule out the Eastern model and show that, the ADC is extended (the Birmingham model). Dip ingress timing shows conclusively that the ADC radial extent varies from 7% of the accretion disc radius in faint sources, to 65% in bright sources. Remarkably, the size depends strongly on the source luminosity suggesting that the ADC is formed by irradiation of the disc by the neutron star and the hot inner disc. These results have fundamental implications for the correct description of Comptonization in X-ray binaries, and the spectral form is derived for the Comptonized emission of an extended ADC led by soft, seed photons from the underlying disc which differs substantially from that of the Eastern model. Measured ADC electron températures provide values of the Compton radius in broad agreement with measured values of the radial extent of the ADC. Finally, we show that the results are inconsistent with the non-thermal emission being produced in a jet, and so provide evidence against the recent suggestion that all LMXB have jets.

scholarly journals Variability of winds in X-ray binaries

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S290) ◽  
pp. 25-28
Author(s):  
M. Díaz Trigo ◽  
L. Boirin ◽  
S. Migliari ◽  
J. Miller-Jones ◽  
A. Parmar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Column Density ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
The Continuum

AbstractWe discuss the variability of winds in two low-mass X-ray binaries, GX 13+1 and 4U 1630-47. XMM-Newton observations of these sources show that strong, photoionised winds with column densities well above 1022 cm−2 can be present in both neutron star and black hole LMXBs. Such winds can fade significantly due to changes in the flux or spectral hardness of the continuum. In particular, a decrease of column density and/or an increase of ionisation are measured when the flux increases or the spectrum hardens. We show how variability studies can help us to understand what triggers changes in the wind and discuss the limitations of current instruments for such studies.

scholarly journals Conditions for accretion disc formation and observability of wind-accreting X-ray binaries

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryosuke Hirai ◽  
Ilya Mandel
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Filling Factor ◽  
Accretion Disc ◽  
Roche Lobe ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Close Binaries ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Binaries

Abstract We explore the effect of anisotropic wind driving on the properties of accretion onto black holes (BHs) in close binaries. We specifically focus on line-driven winds, which are common in high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). In close binary systems, the tidal force from the companion star can modify the wind structure in two different ways. One is the reduction of wind terminal velocity due to the weaker effective surface gravity. The other is the reduction in mass flux due to gravity darkening (GD). We incorporate these effects into the so-called CAK theory in a simple way and investigate the wind flow around the accretor on the orbital scale. We find that a focused accretion stream is naturally formed when the Roche lobe filling factor is ${\gtrsim}0.8$ –0.9, analogous to that of wind Roche lobe overflow, but only when the velocity reduction is taken into account. The formation of a stream is necessary to bring in sufficient angular momentum to form an accretion disc around the BH. GD effects reduce the amount of accreted angular momentum, but not enough to prevent the formation of a disc. Based on these results, we expect there to be a discrete step in the observability of HMXBs depending on whether the donor Roche lobe filling factor is below or above ${\sim}$ 0.8–0.9.

scholarly journals A minimal timescale for the continuum in 4U 1608-52 and Aql X-1

2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (1) ◽  
pp. L72-L78
Author(s):  
K Mohamed ◽  
E Sonbas ◽  
K S Dhuga ◽  
E Göğüş ◽  
A Tuncer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
State Transitions ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Present Evidence ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
The Continuum

ABSTRACT Similar to black hole X-ray binary transients, hysteresis-like state transitions are also seen in some neutron-star X-ray binaries. Using a method based on wavelets and light curves constructed from archival Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations, we extract a minimal timescale over the complete range of transitions for 4U 1608-52 during the 2002 and 2007 outbursts and the 1999 and 2000 outbursts for Aql X-1. We present evidence for a strong positive correlation between this minimal timescale and a similar timescale extracted from the corresponding power spectra of these sources.

scholarly journals Angular Momentum Transport and Dynamo Effect in Kepler Disks

2001 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 410-414
Author(s):  
Günther Rüdiger ◽  
Udo Ziegler
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Accretion Disks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spherical Model ◽  
Momentum Transport ◽  
Rotational Instability ◽  
Jet Formation ◽  
Angular Momentum Transport ◽  
Dynamo Effect ◽  
Background Shear

Properties have been demonstrated of the magneto-rotational instability for two different applications, i.e. for a global spherical model and a box simulation with Keplerian background shear flow. In both nonlinear cases a dynamo operates with a negative (positive) α-effect in the northern (southern) disk hemisphere and in both cases the angular momentum transport is outwards. Keplerian accretion disks should therefore exhibit large-scale magnetic fields with a dipolar geometry of the poloidal components favoring jet formation.

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