活动星系核中的喷流形成

对活动星系核中的喷流加速机制、观测特征有目前研究近况进行了评述。磁场在喷流加速过程中起重要作用，对磁场加速喷流模型中喷流加速区域的大小进行了估计。比较了不同的磁场加速喷流模型，并讨论了有序吸积盘磁场的形成与维持过程。简要地评述了活动星系核中吸积盘与喷流存在内在联系的观测证据，及中央黑洞与活动星系核的射电辐射特征的关系。     

慧眼-HXMT观测到的黑洞双星系统中的W-K 关系

通过几十年的观测研究, 黑洞X射线双星(X-Ray Binary, XRB)部分特征被揭示. 然而, 吸积盘结构尚不确定. 黑洞XRB功率密度谱的截断频率与准周期振荡(Quasi Periodic Oscillation, QPO)的相关性质(W-K关系)可以限制吸积盘结构. 利用慧眼-HXMT (Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope)观测到的5个黑洞XRB的数据, 对黑洞XRB的W-K关系进行了研究, 结果表明在慧眼-HXMT观测的3个探测器能段中W-K关系成立. 此外在MAXI J1535-571之中存在截断频率和吸积盘内半径的相关关系, 这和截断的吸积盘结构一致. 如果观测到的功率密度谱来自质量吸积率的扰动传播, 可以推测吸积盘内半径接近最内圆形稳定轨道, 此黑洞可能是高自旋系统.     

α吸积盘与河外喷流的进动

本文考虑黑洞在其周围吸积盘驱使下进动的机制,得出进动周期对吸积率的依赖关系。这个结果与河外喷流的观测资料符合较好。     

黑洞旋转能量的电磁提取及其在天体物理中的应用

该文着重介绍了两种大尺度磁场提取黑洞旋转能量的机制,即BZ机制和MC机制,以及BZMC共存模型在天体物理中的应用。BZ机制对应于连接黑洞与遥远天体物理负载的"开放"磁力线,而MC机制对应于连接黑洞与吸积盘的"闭合"磁力线。在BZ过程中大尺度磁场把黑洞的旋转能量以Poynting能流的形式输送到天体物理负载,成为驱动黑洞系统的喷流和伽马射线暴的中心发动机。在MC过程中能量和角动量通过大尺度磁场在黑洞与吸积盘之间转移。BZMC共存模型在高能天体物理中的应用包括以下几个方面:1)对活动星系核与黑洞双星的陡发射指数的拟合;2)对黑洞X射线双星的高频QPO与喷流的相关性的解释;3)对伽马射线暴的能量、时标的拟合以及对伽马射线暴与超新星成协的解释。最后对另外两种大尺度磁场提能机制,即BP机制和PC机制也作了简略介绍。     

关于微类星体的部分最新研究结果

对microquaLsar(微类星体)最新的一些研究结果作了比较全面的评述。具有相对论性喷流的microquaLsar在很多现象上类似于极小尺度上的类星体。对X波段的观测可以探测到吸积盘内区甚至接近黑洞的区域。结合低波段上的观测和研究，人们在吸积盘的动力学模型、物质吸积与喷流形成之间的关系以及喷流的超光速运动等方面的认识都有了长足的进步，并且发现了黑洞存在的新证据。对它们的研究为更好地理解河外天体的相对论性喷流和黑洞吸积方面的问题开辟了一条新的途径。     

黑洞吸积盘的温度分布

本文以声速点的物理量作为边界条件,积分流体力学方程组,给出了几何薄光学厚的黑洞吸积盘的温度分布.结果表明在这种吸积盘的内缘温度将急剧下降.另外,我们发现几何薄光学薄气体压为主的α-律吸积盘是热不稳定的.     

几何薄光学厚吸积盘谱线轮廓及成像研究

假设位于黑洞赤道面上做圆形轨道运动的吸积盘是几何薄、光学厚的.利用光子追踪法计算在Kerr度规下的光子运动轨迹,通过数值计算研究薄吸积盘的相对论谱线轮廓及成像.在大角度观测时,吸积盘下表面的光子对谱线轮廓及成像的影响是显著的.     

黑洞吸积的双模式特征

黑洞吸积必定是跨声速的。对于静态、绝热吸积流,比能量E、比角动量L和质量吸积率M都是空间的常量。跨声速解的非奇异条件,F(E,L,M)=0,使独立参数减为只有两个。对于一对给定的E和L的符合条件E_c>E>E_(Barr)的值(这里E_c是一临界值,E_(Barr)是引力和离心力的联合势垒),上述非奇异条件给出两个不同的吸积率值,对应着两个不同的吸积流声速点位置。然而,物理上合理的整体解却是唯一的,它总是使两个吸积率值中之较小者得到实现。 对于一个不转动的黑洞,吸积以两种模式之一进行。一是类球吸积或称Bondi吸积,角动量的影响和相对论效应均微不足道;另一是盘吸积,这两个因素起决定性作用。两种模式之间的转换是基于声速点位置的间断性跳跃,而这种跳跃是由吸积流参数(例如角动量)的连续变化所引发。Bondi吸积可称为高态而盘吸积为低态,因为前者总对应着较高的吸积率。 随时间变化的吸积流很可能在这两种模式之间来回振荡,呈现出周期性或准周期性或无规则行为。这可以用来解释天鹅座X-1和若干活动星系核的光变现象,从而为黑洞的存在提供有力的观测依据。     

径移主导吸积盘的含时数值模拟

黑洞吸积被认为是活动星系核的能量来源,而研究黑洞吸积最主要的难题是要解释吸积气体的角动量是如何转移出去的.黑洞吸积盘理论提出通过粘滞力矩转移角动量.径移主导吸积盘模型(advection-dominated accretion flow,简称ADAF)是几何厚、光学薄的低吸积率吸积盘模型,它在解释低光度活动星系核的一些观测现象时获得了很大的成功.近年来,随着计算机技术的迅猛发展,数值模拟在天体物理研究中获得了广泛的应用,也取得了突破性的进展.主要工作是用数值模拟方法研究ADAF整体解作为初始条件模拟黑洞的吸积过程.     

CygX-1 X辐射的功率谱

运用自回归功率谱研究CygX－1X辐射的频谱特征,结果显示CygX－1转换态和高／软态时变频谱的连续成分,可以统一由有截断的幂律加噪声成分描述,转换态存在小于3Hz的宽峰结构及准周期振荡（QPO）成分（4－12Hz）,而高／软态完全可由截断幂律谱描述,不存在显著的QPO．截断频率在各态都相当稳定,在不同态的演化与平流为主的吸积流模型（ADAF）预期的情形一致．本文结果表明,自回归功率港分析是研究X射线双星光变特征的一个有效的方法．     

Discovery of drifting high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations in global simulations of magnetic boundary layers

We report on the numerical discovery of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) associated with accretion through a non-axisymmetric magnetic boundary layer in the unstable regime, when two ordered equatorial streams form and rotate synchronously at approximately the angular velocity of the inner disc. The streams hit the star's surface producing hotspots. Rotation of the spots leads to high-frequency QPOs. We performed a number of simulation runs for different magnetospheric sizes from small to tiny, and observed a definite correlation between the inner disc radius and the QPO frequency: the frequency is higher when the magnetosphere is smaller. In the stable regime, a small magnetosphere forms and accretion through the usual funnel streams is observed, and the frequency of the star is expected to dominate the light curve. We performed exploratory investigations of the case in which the magnetosphere becomes negligibly small and the disc interacts with the star through an equatorial belt. We also performed investigation of somewhat larger magnetospheres where one or two ordered tongues may dominate over other chaotic tongues. In application to millisecond pulsars, we obtain QPO frequencies in the range of 350–990 Hz for one spot. The frequency associated with rotation of one spot may dominate if spots are not identical or antipodal. If the spots are similar and antipodal, then the frequencies are twice as high. We show that variation of the accretion rate leads to drift of the QPO peak.     

On The Low Frequency Quasi Periodic Oscillations Of X-Ray Sources

Based on the interpretation of the twin kilohertz Quasi Periodic Oscillations (kHz QPOs) of X-ray spectra of Low Mass X-Ray Binaries (LMXBs) ascribed to the Keplerian and the periastron precession frequencies at the inner disk respectively, we ascribe the low frequency (0.1–10 Hz) Quasi Periodic Oscillations (LFQPO) and HBO (15–60 Hz QPO for Z sources or Atoll sources) to the periastron precession at some outer disk radius. It is assumed that both radii are correlated by a scaling factor of 0.4. The conclusions obtained include: All QPO frequencies increase with increasing accretion rate. The theoretical relations between HBO (LFQPO) frequency and the kHz QPO frequencies are similar to the measured empirical formula.     

A Study on the Correlations between the Twin kHz QPO Frequencies in Sco X-1

For the bright neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Sco X-1, we analyzed all updated frequencies of the twin kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs), their correlations and distributions. We found that the frequency separation of the kHz QPO peaks appears not to be a constant, rather, it decreases with increasing inferred mass accretion rate. We show that the currently available data of Sco X-1 by Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer are inconsistent with the proposals of the beat model that the frequency separation is a constant. Our conclusions are consistent with those of some previous researchers and we discuss further implications for the kilohertz QPO models.     

Studies of accretion flows around rotating black holes – III. Shock oscillations and an estimation of the spin parameter from QPO frequencies

In the present communication of our series of papers dealing with the accretion flows in the pseudo-Kerr geometry, we discuss the effects of viscosity on the accretion flow around a rotating black hole. We find the solution topologies and give special attention to the solutions containing shocks. We draw the parameter space where standing shocks are possible and where the shocks could be oscillating and could produce quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) of X-rays observed from black hole candidates. In this model, the extreme locations of the shocks give the upper limits of the QPO frequencies  (ν_QPO)  which could be observed. We show that both the viscosity of the flow and the spin of the black hole a increase the QPO frequency while, as expected, the black hole mass reduces the QPO frequencies. Our major conclusion is that the highest observed frequency gives a strict lower limit of the spin. For instance, a black hole exhibiting  ν_QPO∼ 400  and  700 Hz  must have the spin parameters of   a > 0.25  and  >0.75  , respectively, provided viscosity of the flow is small. We discuss the implications of our results in the light of observations of QPOs from black hole candidates.     

Keck II spectroscopy of mHz quasi-periodic oscillations in Hercules X-1

We present Keck II spectroscopy of optical mHz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the light curve of the X-ray pulsar binary Hercules X-1. In the power spectrum it appears as 'peaked noise', with a coherency ∼2, a central frequency of 35 mHz and a peak-to-peak amplitude of 5 per cent. However, the dynamic power spectrum shows it to be an intermittent QPO, with a lifetime of ∼100 s, as expected if the lifetime of the orbiting material is equal to the thermal time-scale of the inner disc. We have decomposed the spectral time series into constant and variable components and used blackbody fits to the resulting spectra to characterize the spectrum of the QPO variability and constrain possible production sites. We find that the spectrum of the QPO is best fitted by a small hot region, possibly the inner regions of the accretion disc, where the ballistic accretion stream impacts on to the disc. The lack of any excess power around the QPO frequency in the X-ray power spectrum, created using simultaneous light curves from RXTE , implies that the QPO is not simply reprocessed X-ray variability.     

Resonant Oscillations of Accretion Flow and Khz QPOS

High-frequency quasi-periodic variations (HF QPOs) in the X-ray light curves of black hole X-ray novae can be understood as oscillations of the accretion disk in a nonlinear 3:2 resonance. An m = 0 vertical oscillation near a black hole modulates the X-ray emission through gravitational lensing (light-bending) at the source. Certain oscillations of the accretion disk will also modulate the mass accretion rate, and in neutron-star systems this would lead to nearly periodic variations in brightness of the luminous boundary layer on the stellar surface – the amplitude of the neutron-star HF QPOs would be thus increased relative to the black hole systems. The “kHz QPOs” in black holes are in the hecto-Hz range.     

Accretion flow behaviour during the evolution of the quasi-periodic oscillation frequency of XTE J1550−564 in 1998 outburst

Low and intermediate frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are thought to be due to oscillations of Comptonizing regions or hot regions embedded in Keplerian discs. Observational evidence of evolutions of QPOs would therefore be very important as they throw lights on the dynamics of the hotter region. Our aim is to find systems in which there is a well-defined correlation among the frequencies of the QPOs over a range of time so as to understand the physical picture. In this paper, we concentrate on the archival data of XTE J1550−564 obtained during 1998 outburst, and study the systematic drifts during the rising phase from the 1998 September 7 to the 1998 September 19, when the QPO frequency increased monotonically from 81 mHz to 13.1 Hz. Immediately after that, QPO frequency started to decrease and on the 1998 September 26, the QPO frequency became 2.62 Hz. After that, its value remained almost constant. This frequency drift can be modelled satisfactorily with a propagatory oscillating shock solution where the post-shock region behaves as the Comptonized region. Comparing with the nature of a more recent 2005 outburst of another black hole candidate GRO 1655−40, where QPOs disappeared at the end of the rising phase, we conjecture that this so-called 'outburst' may not be a full-fledged outburst.     

The magnetohydrodynamics model of twin kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations in low-mass X-ray binaries

We suggest an explanation for the twin kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) based on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) oscillation modes in neutron star magnetospheres. Including the effect of the neutron star spin, we derive several MHD wave modes by solving the dispersion equations, and propose that the coupling of the two resonant MHD modes may lead to the twin kHz QPOs. This model naturally relates the upper, lower kHz QPO frequencies with the spin frequencies of the neutron stars, and can well account for the measured data of six LMXBs.     

Fractal analysis of light curves for the microquasar GX 339-4

Results of a fractal analysis of the X-ray light curves from accreting black holes in low-mass binary systems are presented for the object GX 339-4 as an example. The fractal dimension of the light curves is shown to be strongly dependent on the presence of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the observations. A correlation between the fractal dimension of the light curves and the frequency of the QPO peak has been revealed. A method supplementary to a Fourier analysis that allows the pattern of accretion disk emission as a function of time scales to be investigated is proposed. The results of this analysis can be explained if the accretion disk is separated by the QPO region into two zones with different emission parameters.     

New generation mechanisms for X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting neutron stars

We propose three mechanisms for the generation of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in X-ray binaries. Two of them are based on an analogy with nonlinear oscillations of gaseous cavities in a fluid. The first mechanism, called magnetocavitation, implies that X-ray QPOs are produced by radial oscillations of the neutron-star magnetosphere interacting with accreted plasma. The photon-cavitation mechanism is considered when studying X-ray QPOs in neutron stars with critical (Eddington) luminosities. In this case, X-ray QPOs are generated by radial oscillations of photon cavities in the fully ionized hydrogen plasma that settles in the accretion column of a compact object. The mechanism according to which X-ray QPOs result from nonlinear oscillations of current sheets originating in accretion disks is suggested to explain QPOs in X-ray binaries with black holes and in cataclysmic variables. The calculated values of basic physical parameters of QPOs, such as the characteristic frequency, the dependences of QPO frequency and amplitude on X-ray flux, photon energy, and QPO lag time between photons at different energies are in good agreement with observational data.