A study of natural frequencies in a dynamic corona-disk system

Abstract

Black-hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs) in the hard and hard-intermediate spectral (and temporal) states exhibit in their power spectra characteristic frequencies called type-C quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). Various models that can explain them with various degrees of success have been proposed, but a definitive answer is still missing. The hot Comptonizing corona interacting with the cold accretion disk, both of which are central in understanding BHXRBs, is essentially a dynamical system. Our aim is to investigate if the radiative coupling between the two components can produce QPOs. We write and solve the time-dependent equations that describe energy conservation in the system corona - accretion disk. We examine both constant and variable mass accretion rates. By necessity, in this first investigation we use a simple model, but it contains all the essential ingredients. For a constant mass accretion rate and certain justifiable conditions, the dynamic corona - disk system exhibits oscillations, which die out after a few cycles. The characteristic frequencies of these oscillations are similar to the ones observed in the power spectra of BHXRBs. For most parameters, the natural frequencies persist even in the case of variable accretion rates. We argue that type-C QPOs in BHXRBs could, in principle, arise from the interaction of the hot Comptonizing corona with the much colder accretion disk. If this picture is correct, it has immediate implications for other systems that contain the above constituents, such as active galactic nuclei.

10 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, new version after language editing

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• The X-ray corona in the black-hole binary GRO J1655--40 from the properties of non-harmonically related quasi-periodic oscillations
• A broadband spectral-timing study of QPOs in the bright black hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.8-1613
• Trace the Accretion Geometry of H 1743--322 with Type C Quasi-periodic Oscillations in Multiple Outbursts
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• Testing the dynamic origin of Quasi-periodic Oscillations in MAXI J1535-571 and H 1743-322
• NICER and Swift/XRT monitoring of the 2023 outburst of Swift J1727.7-1613
• Exploring the broadband spectral and timing characteristics of GRS 1915+105 with AstroSat and NICER observations
• A journey from the hard to the soft state: How do QPOs evolve in the 2021 outburst of GX 339-4?
• Evolution of the Comptonizing medium of the black-hole candidate Swift J1727.8$-$1613 along the hard to hard-intermediate state transition using NICER
• Evolution of QPOs in GX 339-4 and EXO 1846-031 with Insight-HXMT and NICER
• A simplified approach for reproducing fully relativistic spectra in X-ray binary systems: Application to Cygnus X-1
• Detection of a Type-C QPO during the soft-to-hard transition in Swift J1727.8-1613
• Broad-band noises in GX 339-4 during the 2021 outburst observed with Insight-HXMT and NICER
• Black-hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.8$-$1613 shows simultaneous Type-B and Type-C quasi-periodic oscillations across the hard-intermediate and soft-intermediate states
• Radiative feedbacks as drivers for quasi-periodic-oscillation activity in black-hole X-ray binaries
• The mHz quasi-regular modulations of 4U 1630--47 during its 1998 outburst