Radiation of accretion disks in quasars and galactic nuclei

The continuum spectra of accretion disks around supermassive Schvarzshild black hole are calculated for a set of accretion disk parameters. In every point of the disk surface the atmosphere is considered to be similar to the atmosphere of the star with the same values of the surface gravity and effective temperature. All important effects of general relativity affected the spectrum shape are taken into account.     

Composite profile of the Fe Kα spectral line emitted from a binary system of supermassive black holes

We used a model of a relativistic accretion disk around a supermassive black hole (SMBH), based on ray-tracing method in the Kerr metric, to study the variations of the composite Fe Kα line emitted from two accretion disks around SMBHs in a binary system. We assumed that the orbit of such a binary is approximately Keplerian, and simulated the composite line shapes for different orbital elements, accretion disk parameters and mass ratios of the components. The obtained results show that, if observed in the spectra of some SMBH binaries during their different orbital phases, such composite Fe Kα line profiles could be used to constrain the orbits and several properties of such SMBH binaries.     

一种基于固态盘的磁盘缓存系统架构及其在子午工程数 据中心业务系统中的应用

固态盘作为内存和磁盘之间的二级磁盘缓存运用于服务器存储层次结构中, 以满足空间科学研究领域日益增长的应用级I/O请求. 然而, 当前主流混合 存储架构未能充分发挥固态盘优势, 也没有考虑其寿命损耗. 因此, 本文提 出一种联合固态盘、磁盘的RAF (Random-Access First)混合存储架构, 在 提高系统性能的同时可延长固态盘寿命. 其主要思路是通过序列探测技术, 区 分负载中的随机访问和连续访问, 并将随机和顺序访问请求重定向到固态盘 和磁盘系统分别处理. RAF的原型已在Linux内核2.6.30.10中实现. 基于子 午工程真实业务数据及模拟数据的实验结果表明, RAF与当前的主流架 构Flash Cache相比, 在多种负载情况下可提升系统响应时间17%, 同时减少 固态盘老化率53%, 提高了存储系统的整体性能.      

X-ray observations of black-hole accretion disks

Our current theoretical and observational understandings of the accretion disks around Galactic black-holes are reviewed. Historically, a simple phenomenological accretion disk model has been used to interpret X-ray observations. Although such a phenomenological interpretation is still useful, high quality X-ray data from contemporary instruments allow us to test more realistic accretion disk models. In a simple and ideal case, the standard optically thick accretion disk model is successful to explain observations, such that the inner disk radius is constant at three times the Schwarzschild radius over large luminosity variations. However, when disk luminosity is close to or exceeds the Eddington luminosity, the standard disk model breaks, and we have to consider the “slim disk” solution in which radial energy advection is dominant. Recent observations of Ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs), which may not be explained by the standard disk model, strongly suggest the slim disk solution. We compare theoretical X-ray spectra from the slim disk with observed X-ray spectra of ULXs. We have found that the slim disk model is successful to explain ULX spectra, in terms of the massive stellar black-holes with several tens of solar mass and the super-Eddington mass accretion rates. In order to explain the large luminosities (>10⁴⁰ ergs s⁻¹) of ULXs, “intermediate black-holes” (>100M) are not required. Slim disks around massive stellar black-holes of up to several tens of solar mass would naturally explain the observed properties of ULXs.     

X-ray study of accretion flow in narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies

We present the results of a systematic study of narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) observed with XMM-Newton. The 2–12 keV X-ray spectra of NLS1s are well represented by a single power law with a photon index Γ ∼ 2. When this hard power law continuum is extrapolated into the low energy band, we found that all objects in our sample show prominent soft excess emission. This excess emission is well parameterized by the thermal emission expected from an optically thick accretion disk, and we found the following three peculiar features: (1) The derived disk temperatures are significantly higher than the expectation from a standard Shakura-Sunyaev accretion disk, if we assume a central mass of a black hole to be 10^6–8M_⊙. (2) The temperatures are distributed within narrow range (ΔkT ∼ 0.08 keV) with an average temperature of 0.18 keV in spite of the range of four orders of magnitude in luminosity (10^41–45 erg s⁻¹). (3) We found a peculiar temperature–luminosity relation, where the luminosity seems to be almost saturated in spite of the significant change in temperature, during the observations of the most luminous NLS1 PKS 0558-504. These results strongly suggest that the standard accretion disk picture is no longer appropriate in the nuclei of NLS1s. We discuss a possible origin for the soft excess component, and suggest that a slim disk may be able to explain the observational results, if the photon trapping effect is properly taken into account.     

The tilt of accretion disks in active spiral galaxies

How are accretion disks in Seyfert Galaxies oriented relative to the disk of the spiral galaxy which hosts them? This angle, β, serves as a link between the innermost workings of the black hole plus fueling accretion disk and the larger galaxy, either as the memory of the activity-provoking event, or as a diagnostic for the structure of the accretion disk.A sample culled from the literature shows that there is no tendency for accretion disks to align with the host galaxy disk and, in addition, there appears to be a zone of avoidance, where the accretion disks of no or very few active spirals are aligned within 20 degrees of the normal to the host galaxy disk. These results seem counter intuitive given the strong influence of angular momentum of the galaxy disk on material in that disk.     

Time dependent accretion onto a black hole in a disk plus corona system

Hard X-ray lightcurves exhibit delays of 1 s with respect to the soft X-ray lightcurves when the microquasar GRS 1915+105 is in the state of frequent, regular outbursts. Such outbursts are supposed to be driven by the radiation pressure instability of the inner disk parts. The hard X-ray delays are then caused by the time needed for the adjustment of the corona to changing conditions in the underlying disk. We support this claim by the computation of the time evolution of the disk, including a non-stationary evaporation of the disk and mass exchange with the corona.     

Spectra and time variability of black-hole binaries in the low/hard state

We propose a jet model for the low/hard state of galactic black-hole X-ray sources which explains the energy spectra from radio to X-rays and a number of timing properties in the X-ray domain such as the time lag spectra, the hardening of the power density spectra and the narrowing of the autocorrelation function with increasing photon energy. The model assumes that (i) there is a magnetic field along the axis of the jet, (ii) the electron density in the jet drops inversely proportional to distance, (iii) the jet is “hotter” near its center than at its periphery, and (iv) the electrons in the jet follow a power-law distribution function. We have performed Monte Carlo simulations of Compton upscattering of soft photons from the accretion disk and have found power-law high-energy spectra with photon-number index in the range 1.5–2 and cutoff at a few hundred keV, power-law time lags versus Fourier frequency with index 0.8, and an increase of the rms amplitude of variability and a narrowing of the autocorrelation function with increasing photon energy as they have been observed in Cygnus X-1. The spectrum at long wavelengths (radio, infrared, optical) is modeled to come from synchrotron radiation of the energetic electrons in the jet. We find flat to inverted radio spectra that extend from the radio up to about the optical band. For magnetic field strengths of the order 10⁵–10⁶ G at the base of the jet, the calculated spectra agree well in slope and flux with the observations.     

A highly-ionized absorber as a new explanation for the spectral changes during dips from X-ray binaries

We report the XMM-Newton detection of narrow Fe xxv and Fe xxvi X-ray absorption lines at 7 keV in the persistent emission of the dipping low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) 4U 1323−62. Such features have now been reported in a growing number of LMXBs seen almost edge-on, indicating that the highly-ionized plasma probably originates in an accretion disk atmosphere or wind. During dipping intervals of 4U 1323−62, the strength of the Fe xxv feature increases while that of the Fe xxvi feature decreases, consistent with the presence of less strongly ionized material in the line-of-sight. As observed previously, the changes in the X-ray spectrum during dips are inconsistent with a simple increase in absorption by cool material. However, we show that the changes in both the narrow absorption features and the continuum can be modeled self-consistently by variations in the properties of an ionized absorber. From persistent to deep dipping the photo-ionization parameter decreases while the equivalent hydrogen column density of the ionized absorber increases. No partial covering of any component of the spectrum, and hence no extended corona, are required. Since highly-ionized absorption features are seen from many other dip sources, this mechanism may also explain the overall changes in X-ray spectrum observed during dipping intervals from these systems.     

近壁区湍能耗散率输运方程的理论模型

提出在湍流边界层的近壁区采用三维不稳定波来描述湍流扰动速度,然后根据理论模型对湍能耗散率的生成、粘性破坏以及扩散等特性进行了系统定量的计算和分析.理论计算结果与直接数值模拟结果符合较好,特别是在y<10的区域中明显优于传统湍流模型的计算结果.这不仅在理论上有益于对湍流物理机制的了解,而且可能为湍流模型计算开辟一条新的途径.     

Turbulent Comptonization in relativistic accretion disks

Turbulent Comptonization, a potentially important damping and radiation mechanism in relativistic accretion flows, is discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the physical basis, relative importance, and thermodynamics of turbulent Comptonization. The effects of metal absorption opacity on the spectral component resulting from turbulent Comptonization is considered as well.     

Black hole spectral states and physical connections

The dramatic changes seen in the X-ray spectral and timing properties of accreting black hole candidates (BHCs) provide important clues about the accretion and jet formation processes that occur in these systems. Dividing the different source behaviors into spectral states provides a framework for studying BHCs. To date, there have been three main classification schemes with Luminosity-based, Component-based, or Transition-based criteria. The canonical, Luminosity-based criteria and physical models that are based on this concept do not provide clear explanations for several phenomena, including hysteresis of spectral states and the presence of jets. I discuss the re-definitions of states, focusing on an application of the Component-based states to more than 400 RXTE observations of the recurrent BHC 4U 1630–47. We compare the X-ray properties for the recent 2002–2004 outburst to those of an earlier (1998) outburst, during which radio jets were observed. The results suggest a connection between hysteresis of states and major jet ejections, and it is possible that both of these are related to the evolution of the inner radius of the optically thick accretion disk.     

碟形弹簧的弯曲效应问题

以采用壳体非线性无矩理论所确定的碟形弹簧薄膜位移与薄膜应力作为初始状态,采用壳体线性有矩理论对碟形弹簧进行了弯曲位移与弯曲应力分析.分析表明:与薄膜应力相比,弯曲应力是不能略去的;而与薄膜位移相比,弯曲位移是可以略去的.因此,对碟形弹簧而言,以壳体非线性无矩理论确定位移是合理的,而以壳体线性有矩理论确定附加弯曲应力也是可行的,同时也是必要的.     

Magnetically driven jets from accretion disks: The effect of magneto-rotational instability

We present the results of 2.5-dimensional MHD simulations for jet formation from accretion disks in a situation such that the magneto-rotational instability is occurring in the disk. When there is no initial perturbation in the disk, the surface layer falls faster than the equatorial part to make a surface avalanche and associated jets. However, if we input an initially large perturbation (> 10% of sound speed) in the disk, the dense region of the disk falls on an orbital time scale to make a more violent accretion and jet. In this case, the accretion rate and mass loss rates are an order of magnitude larger than those in the case without initial perturbation. The speed of the jet is of order the Keplerian velocity of the disk regardless of the instability.     

General relativistic radiation hydrodynamics: Mixed-frame approach

I show how general relativistic 3D radiation hydrodynamic equations can be derived from the tensor formulation. Radiation quantities are differentiated with respect to the fixed coordinates while the interaction between matter and radiation is described by the comoving frame quantities. The formulation is covariant, and can be applied to any coordinates or spacetime; I show the derivation for the Schwarzschild spacetime as an example.     

Possible consequences of a disk around B0656+14 on e–e and near-1 Hz gravitational wave production

Nearby pulsars B0656+14 and Geminga were proposed in the literature as the main sources of cosmic-ray positrons observed near Earth above 10 GeV. B0656+14 has comparable distance from Earth, similar magnetic field and period of Geminga. However, observations in the R and I bands indicate the presence of a disk of approximately 10⁻⁴ M_⊙ around B0656+14. Radio and pulsed γ-ray flux observations from this pulsar are also consistent with supernova fallback material and disk entering the light cylinder and partially quenching the development of electromagnetic showers in the magnetosphere. If this is the case, B0656+14 has unlikely given any contribution to e⁺ and e⁻ observed near Earth. Absolute flux measurements and the level of anisotropy in the high energy electron and positron arrival directions above 50 GeV will help in revealing if none, one of both nearby pulsars are sources of these particles observed near Earth.     

Broad-band spectral properties of accreting X-ray binary pulsars

Broad-band spectra of accreting X-ray binary pulsars can be fitted by a phenomenological model composed of a power law with a high energy rollover above 10 keV, plus a blackbody component with a temperature of few hundred eV. While, at least qualitatively, the hard tail can be explained in terms of (inverse) Compton scattering, the origin of the soft component cannot find a unique explanation. Recently, a qualitative picture able to explain the overall broad-band spectrum of luminous X-ray pulsars was carried out by taking into account the effect of bulk Comptonization in the accretion column. After a review of these recent theoretical developments, I will present a case study of how different modeling of the continuum affect broad features, in particular the cyclotron resonance features in Vela X-1.     

2D and 3D MHD simulations of disk accretion by rotating magnetized stars: Search for variability

We performed 2D and full 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of disk accretion to a rotating star with an aligned or misaligned dipole magnetic field. We investigated the rotational equilibrium state and derived from simulations the ratio between two main frequencies: the spin frequency of the star and the orbital frequency at the inner radius of the disk. In 3D simulations we observed different features related to the non-axisymmetry of the magnetospheric flow. These features may be responsible for high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). Variability at much lower frequencies may be connected with restructuring of the magnetic flux threading the inner regions of the disk. Such variability is specifically strong at the propeller stage of evolution.     

Production and evolution of millisecond X-ray and radio pulsars

Observations using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) have discovered dozens of accreting neutron stars with millisecond spin periods in low-mass binary star systems. Eighteen are millisecond X-ray pulsars powered by accretion or nuclear burning or both. These stars have magnetic fields strong enough for them to become millisecond rotation-powered (radio) pulsars when accretion ceases. Few, if any, accretion- or rotation-powered pulsars have spin rates higher than 750 Hz. There is strong evidence that the spin-up of some accreting neutron stars is limited by magnetic spin-equilibrium whereas the spin-up of others is halted when accretion ends. Further study will show whether the spin rates of some accretion- or rotation-powered pulsars are or were limited by emission of gravitational radiation.