Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10704634 | New Astronomy | 2005 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
Non-axisymmetric accretion discs can lead to flux variability. Here we provide an analytic framework for modeling non-axisymmetric structures like hotspots and spiral waves and their influence on observed timing measurements. The presently unexplained low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (LFQPO), observed in X-ray binaries and cataclysmic variables, could be the result of such discs. Our framework serves as a guide to quantify the properties that non-axisymmetric structures produced by nonlinear accretion disc models must have in order to explain observed features such as LFQPOs. The results from our microquasar applications also provide analogous predictions for X-ray modulation in active galactic nuclei. The formalism and physical interpretation is of practical use for generic non-axisymmetric accretion disc systems.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors
Peggy Varnière, Eric G. Blackman,