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Radiative processes, spectral states and variability of black-hole binaries

Zdziarski, A.A.; Gierlinski, M.

Authors

A.A. Zdziarski

M. Gierlinski



Abstract

We review radiative processes responsible for X-ray emission in hard(low) and soft (high) spectral states of black-hole binaries. The main process in the hard state appears to be scattering of blackbody photons from a cold disk by thermal electrons in a hot inner flow, and any contribution from nonthermal synchrotron emission is at most small. In the soft states, blackbody disk emission dominates energetically, and its high-energy tail is due to scattering by hybrid, thermal/nonthermal electrons, probably in active regions above the disk surface. State transitions appear to correspond to a variable inner radius of the cold disk driven by changes of the accretion rate. The existence of two accretion solutions, hot and cold, in a range of the accretion rate leads to hysteresis in low-mass X-ray binaries.

Citation

Zdziarski, A., & Gierlinski, M. (2004). Radiative processes, spectral states and variability of black-hole binaries. Progress of theoretical physics. Supplement, 155, 99-119

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2004
Deposit Date Dec 19, 2006
Journal Progress of theoretical physics. Supplement.
Print ISSN 0375-9687
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Volume 155
Pages 99-119
Keywords Advection-dominated accretion, High-energy spectra, X-ray-emission, Cygnus X-1, Radio galaxies, Line, Nova-muscae-1991, Comptonization, Variability, Reflection.
Publisher URL http://ptp.ipap.jp/link?PTPS/155/99

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