arXiv subjects

Hong-Xuan Jiang

Publications and source records attributed to Hong-Xuan Jiang.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

GRMHD and GRRT Simulations of Black Hole Accretion: Flares, Precession, and Complex Spacetimes

This dissertation studies the electromagnetic signatures of accreting supermassive black holes using general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations and covariant radiative-transfer calculations. It develops a unified numerical framework for modeling black-hole accretion, jet launching, flaring activity, and multi-band variability in Kerr, non-Kerr, and binary black-hole spacetimes. For isolated Kerr black holes, I investigate how magnetic-field geometry affects accretion dynamics and transient emission. Multi-loop magnetic configurations naturally produce reconnection events and flux-rope structures that can power near-infrared flares from Sagittarius A*, while the evolving optical depth of expanding plasma explains delayed millimeter emission. I also show that in tilted magnetically arrested disks, magnetic torques can drive retrograde disk and jet precession. The dissertation then applies the same framework to more complex spacetimes. Simulations of accretion onto regular loop-quantum black holes show that quantum-gravity corrections can modify photon-ring size, polarization structure, and jet power, leading to observational constraints from Event Horizon Telescope data. Finally, simulations of supermassive binary black holes in time-dependent spacetimes reveal how gravitational self-lensing, shock activity, and spin-orbit coupling shape multi-wavelength light curves and jet precession. Together, these results connect relativistic plasma dynamics with current and future observations of black-hole systems.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Magnetic Configuration Imprints on Quasi-Periodic Variability in GRMHD Simulations of Thin Accretion Disks

The origin of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in black hole accretion flow remains uncertain, particularly regarding the role of magnetic field configurations in shaping disk structure and variability signatures. We investigate this using global two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of geometrically thin disks initialized with different multi-loop magnetic field configurations. These configurations naturally produce a puffed-up inner region. We find that QPO-like variability arises in the effective viscosity and mass accretion rate, with frequencies following the local radial epicyclic frequency and its harmonics. Time-series diagrams show coherent, inclined stripe-like patterns associated with inertial-acoustic perturbations, while power spectra exhibit narrow bands of enhanced variability linked to truncation radii associated with magnetic fields. Cross-correlation analysis reveals a finite lag between pressure and Maxwell stress at these interfaces, consistent with viscous-epicyclic overstability. The magnetic topology regulates both the truncation radius and the location of resonant cavities that sustain oscillations. As the disk becomes thicker, increased turbulent diffusion suppresses the overstability and the associated QPO signals. We find that the QPO frequency ranges and their evolution are consistent with observations of black hole X-ray binaries during outbursts. These results suggest that magnetic field configurations play a pivotal role in shaping disk structure and variability in accreting black holes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Signature of iron line profile from a Kerr-like wormhole

Broad, skewed iron K$α$ emission lines in the X-ray spectra of accreting black holes encode key information about the spacetime geometry of the innermost disk. While the Kerr metric is standard for spin measurements, horizonless alternatives like traversable "Kerr-like" wormholes can mimic many black hole signatures, challenging current data interpretations. We develop a relativistic reflection framework incorporating Kerr-like wormhole geometries to predict iron line distortions and assess the feasibility of distinguishing event horizons from wormhole throats.Using a custom ray-tracing subroutine, we implement two \textsc{XSPEC} modules: \texttt{kwline} for $δ$-function profiles and \texttt{kwconv} for full reflection spectra, parameterized by spin, throat radius, and shape-function coefficients. We compute a dense grid of line profiles and generate synthetic \textit{NuSTAR} spectra with realistic response matrices. By fitting these simulations with canonical Kerr models, we quantify deviations attributable to wormhole geometries.We find that Kerr-like wormholes produce narrower Fe K$α$ lines with suppressed red wings as the throat parameter $λ$ increases. In 50 ks \textit{NuSTAR} simulations ($λ=0.9, a_*=0.998$), simple convolutional models (\texttt{kerrconv}) can mimic the wormhole spectrum. However, self-consistent models like \texttt{relxillCp} result in statistical failure, yielding structured residuals and unphysical parameter pegging (e.g., emissivity $q_{\rm in} \to 10$). We conclude that large-throat wormholes are detectable in high-quality X-ray spectra if analyzed with fully consistent reflection models rather than post-processing approximations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Electromagnetic Signatures of Supermassive Binary Black Holes: Synchrotron, Self-Lensing Flares, and Jet Precession

The recent evidence for a nanohertz gravitational wave background from Pulsar Timing Arrays highlights the urgent need to identify electromagnetic counterparts to supermassive binary black holes. Here, we perform global 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of a secondary black hole (mass ratio $q=0.1$) interacting with a Magnetically Arrested Disk around a primary black hole using a time-dependent superposed Kerr-Schild metric and post-processed general relativistic radiation transfer calculations based on thermal electron distribution function (eDF). We explore three orbital configurations: a vertical impact orbit, a coplanar embedded orbit, and a high-spin, eccentric, inclined scenario. Despite clear orbital periodicity and recurrent shock formation, the thermal synchrotron light curves frequently lack expected shock-induced flares. In vertical impacts, shock brightenings are typically sub-dominant to the stochastic MAD variability of the primary black hole, unless viewed at specific alignment phases. Conversely, coplanar orbits produce distinctive, rapid flares driven by gravitational self-lensing. We identify a frequency-dependent emission hierarchy: the primary black hole dominates sub-millimeter flux, while the secondary dominates near-infrared emission due to higher electron temperatures in thermal eDF. Finally, spin-orbit coupling drives Lense-Thirring precession, yielding twisted, wobbling jets that following the tilt and precession of the primary BH. Crucially, we show that intrinsic MAD turbulence can easily mask shock-induced radio flares, making self-lensing flares a more reliable electromagnetic counterpart candidate for supermassive binary black holes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Radiative Cooling Effects on Plasmoid Formation in Black Hole Accretion Flows with Multiple Magnetic Loops

We investigate the influence of radiative cooling on plasmoid formation in black hole accretion flows using 2D and 3D two-temperature GRMHD simulations with multi-loop magnetic fields. Our results show that radiative cooling suppresses the transition to a MAD state by reducing magnetic flux accumulation near the horizon, modifies the disk structure via lower electron temperatures and increased equatorial density, and alters reconnection properties:compressing current sheets, shortening plasmoid lifetimes, and increasing their frequency. We also find enhanced negative energy-at-infinity density in plasmoids near the ergosphere. These findings indicate that radiative cooling critically shapes both large scale accretion dynamics and small-scale reconnection phenomena, potentially modulating black hole energy extraction through reconnection-driven Penrose processes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Quasi-Periodic Polarized Emissions from Kink Structure in Magnetized Relativistic Jets

Recent polarimetric observations of blazars indicate the development of current-driven (CD) kink instability after passing the recollimation shocks in the relativistic jets and association with quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). To investigate multi-wavelength polarized features of CD kink instability in jets, we develop {\tt RaptorP}, a new special relativistic module of the polarized General Relativistic Radiative Transfer (GRRT) code {\tt RAPTOR}. Based on 3D SRMHD simulations of over-pressured magnetized jets, we find that jet images vary at different frequencies. At low frequencies, the emission comes from the turbulent ambient medium surrounding the jet that obscures the inner jet structure. Electronic Vector Position Angle (EVPA) patterns are perpendicular to the jet propagation direction, indicating a dominance of the poloidal magnetic field. At high frequencies, bright knots and twisted kink structures appear, and EVPA patterns are consistent with a toroidal magnetic field. We also find that QPOs in light curves of intensity and linear polarization (degree and angle). The peak frequency in Power Spectral Densities (PSDs) is well-matched with the rotation period of the kink structure in relativistic jets. It shows an anti-correlation between total intensity and the degree of polarization at a lower inclination angle. Our findings, based on realistic polarized radiation calculations, will explain the observational signatures seen in blazars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Magnetically Driven Retrograde Precession in Misaligned Black Hole Accretion Flows

Observations of accreting black hole (BH) systems, such as microquasars and supermassive black holes, often reveal a precessing jet with changing directions, indicating a misaligned accretion flow relative to the BH spin. The precession is commonly attributed to the Lense-Thirring (LT) effect, which arises from the BH's rotation twisting the surrounding spacetime and accretion flow. In the strongly magnetized regime, which is preferred accretion flow conditions for M~87$^*$ and likely other jet-producing systems, the large-scale magnetic field can significantly influence the flow dynamics. Here, we perform large-scale three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of tilted accretion onto a rotating BH, and find a never-seen-before new retrograde precession. This precession arises from a magnetic torque on the disk generated by the poloidal magnetic field aligned with the BH's rotation, opposing the LT torque. This finding highlights the unique property of highly magnetized accretion flows around BHs and provides a new interpretation of jet precession observed in many systems.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

The Physical Origin and Time Lag of Multi-Frequency Flares from SgrA*

Sagittarius~A$^*$, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, exhibits flares across various wavelengths, yet their origins remain elusive. We performed 3D two-temperature General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of magnetized accretion flows initialized from multi-loop magnetic field configuration onto a rotating black hole and conducted General Relativistic Radiative Transfer (GRRT) calculations considering contributions from both thermal and non-thermal synchrotron emission processes. Our results indicate that the polarity inversion events from the multi-loop magnetic field configurations can generate $138\,\rm THz$ flares consistent with observations with the help of non-thermal emission. By tracing the intensity evolution of light rays in GRRT calculations, we identify the precise location of the flaring region and confirm that it originates from a large-scale polarity inversion event. We observe time delays between different frequencies, with lower-frequency radio flares lagging behind higher frequencies due to plasma self-absorption in the disk. The time delay between near-infrared and 43 GHz flares can reach up to $\sim 50$ min, during which the flaring region gradually shifts outward, becoming visible at lower frequencies. Our study confirms that large-scale polarity inversion in a Standard And Normal Evolution (SANE) accretion flow with a multi-loop initial magnetic configuration can be a potential mechanism driving flares from Sgr~A$^*$.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Enhanced Blandford Znajek Jet in Loop Quantum Black Hole

The Blandford-Znajek (BZ) process powers energetic jets by extracting the rotating energy of a Kerr black hole. It is important to understand this process in non-Kerr black hole spacetimes. In this study, we conduct two-dimensional and three-dimensional two-temperature General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of magnetized accretion flows onto a rotating Loop-Quantum black hole (LQBH). Our investigation focuses on the accretion flow structure and jet launching dynamics from our simulations. We observe that the loop quantum effects increase the black hole angular frequency for spinning black holes.This phenomenon intensifies the frame-dragging effect, leading to an amplification of the toroidal magnetic field within the funnel region and enhancement of the launching jet power. It is possible to fit the jet power following a similar fitting formula of the black hole angular frequency as seen in the Kerr black hole. Based on the General Relativistic Radiation Transfer (GRRT) calculation, we find that the jet image from LQBH has a wider opening angle and an extended structure than the Kerr BH.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Dynamics and Emission Properties of Flux Ropes from Two-Temperature GRMHD Simulations with Multiple Magnetic Loops

Flux ropes erupting from the vicinity of the black hole are thought to be a potential model for the flares observed in Sgr\,A$^*$. In this study, we examine the radiative properties of flux ropes that emerged from the vicinity of the black hole. We have performed three-dimensional two-temperature General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of magnetized accretion flows with alternating multiple magnetic loops, and General Relativistic Radiation Transfer (GRRT) calculations. In GRMHD simulations, two different sizes of initial magnetic loops are implemented. In the small loop case, magnetic dissipation leads to a weaker excitement of magneto-rotational instability inside the torus which generates a lower accretion rate compared to the large loop case. However, it makes more generation of flux ropes due to frequent reconnection by magnetic loops with different polarities. By calculating the thermal synchrotron emission, we found that the variability of light curves and emitting region are tightly related. At $230\,\rm GHz$ and higher frequency, the emission from the flux ropes is relatively stronger compared with the background, which is responsible for the filamentary structure in the images. At lower frequencies, e.g. $43\,\rm GHz$, emission comes from more extended regions, which have a less filamentary structure in the image. Our study shows self-consistent electron temperature models are essential for the calculation of thermal synchrotron radiation and the morphology of the GRRT images. Flux ropes contribute considerable emission at frequencies $\gtrsim 230\,\rm GHz$.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Shadows of Loop Quantum Black Holes: Semi-analytical Simulations of Loop Quantum Gravity Effects on Sagittarius A* and M 87*

In this study, we delve into the observational implications of rotating Loop Quantum Black Holes (LQBHs) within an astrophysical framework. We employ semi-analytical General Relativistic Radiative Transfer (GRRT) computations to study the emission from the accretion flow around LQBHs. Our findings indicate that the increase of Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) effects results in an enlargement of the rings from LQBHs, thereby causing a more circular polarization pattern in the shadow images. We make comparisons with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of Sgr\,A$^*$ and M\,87$^*$, which enable us to determine an upper limit for the polymetric function $P$ in LQG. The upper limit for Sgr\,A$^*$ is $0.2$, while for M\,87$^*$ it is $0.07$. Both black holes exhibit a preference for a relatively high spin ($a\gtrsim0.5$ for Sgr\,A$^*$ and $0.5\lesssim a \lesssim 0.7$ for M\,87$^*$). The constraints for Sgr\,A$^*$ are based on black hole spin and ring diameter, whereas for M\,87$^*$, the constraints are further tightened by the polarimetric pattern. In essence, our simulations provide observational constraints on the effect of LQG in supermassive black holes (SMBH), providing the most consistent comparison with observation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

A Model for Type-IIP Supernovae with Medium Recombination Approximation

In this paper, we propose a new light-curve model for Type-IIP supernovae (SNe IIP) with an approximation of medium recombination. Recombination of hydrogen that takes place in the envelope is believed highly affect the light curves of SNe IIP. The propagation of the recombination wave through the expanding envelope is crucial to determine the temperature and the bolometric luminosity. Several approximations were made in previous works to determine the recombination front, which plays a role as the pseudo-photosphere. With the Eddington boundary condition, we let the actual photosphere be the boundary to determine the time evolution of temperature profile of the envelope and calculate the bolometric luminosity. A new approximation on the speed of recombination wave is introduced to get a closer result to the real situation. We abandon the non-self-consistent approximations made in former works and solve the initial hump problem in the previous attempt for the slow recombination approximation. The produced light curves show the necessity of this approximation and fit the observation well.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Two-Temperature GRMHD Simulations of Black Hole Accretion Flows with Multiple Magnetic Loops

We have performed a series of two-dimensional two-temperature general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of magnetized accretion flows initiated from tori with different sizes and poloidal magnetic loop polarities. In these two temperature simulations, we trace the process of heating electrons through turbulence and reconnection, most of the time these electrons are trapped in plasmoids. We found that the accretion process strongly depends on the size of the magnetic loops. The accretion flows never reach the magnetically arrested (MAD) regime in small loop cases. Interaction between magnetic field with different polarities dissipates and decreases the efficiency of magneto-rotational instability. The dependency on the wavelength of the loops places a lower limit on the loop size. In the large loop cases, after reaching a quasi-steady phase, a transition from Standard And Normal Evolution (SANE) flow to MAD flow is observed. The transition of the accretion state and the transition time depends on the initial loop wavelength. The formation of plasmoids strongly depends on the size of the magnetic loops. The frequent magnetic reconnection between the magnetic loops is responsible for the formation of most of the plasmoids. For some plasmoids, Kelvin-Helmholtz and tearing instabilities are coexisting, showing another channel of plasmoid formation. The simulations present that electrons in the plasmoids are well-heated up by turbulent and magnetic reconnection. Different properties of plasmoid formation in different magnetic field configurations provide new insights for the understanding of flaring activity and electron thermodynamics in Sgr A*.

astro-ph.HE↗