arXiv subjects

Sergei Nayakshin

Publications and source records attributed to Sergei Nayakshin.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

On time-dependent X-ray reflection by photoionized accretion disks: implication for Fe K-alpha line reverberation studies of AGN

We perform a first study of time-dependent X-ray reflection in photo-ionized accretion disks. We assume a step-functional change in the X-ray flux and use a simplified prescription to describe the time evolution of the illuminated gas density profile in response to changes in the flux. We find that the dynamical time for re-adjustment of the hydrostatic balance is an important relaxation time scale of the problem since it affects evolution of the ionization state of the reflector. Because of this the Fe K-alpha line emissivity depends on the shape and intensity of the illuminating flux in prior times, and hence it is not a function of the instantaneous illuminating spectrum. Moreover, during the transition, a prominent Helium-like component of the Fe K-alpha line may appear. As a result, the line flux may appear to be completely uncorrelated with X-ray continuum flux on time scales shorter than the dynamical time. In addition, the time-dependence of the illuminating flux may leave imprints even on the time-averaged line spectra, which may be used as an additional test of accretion disk geometry. Our findings appear to be important for the proposed Fe K-alpha line reverberation studies in lamppost-like geometries for accretion rates exceeding about $\sim 1%$ of the Eddington value. However, most AGN do not show Helium-like lines that are prominent in such models, probably indicating that these models are not applicable to real sources.

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arXiv2001

An XMM-Newton observation of the luminous Seyfert 1 galaxy Markarian 509

We present the spectral analysis of an early XMM-Newton observation of the luminous Seyfert 1 galaxy Markarian 509. We find the hard (2-10 keV) continuum slope, including reflection, to be somewhat flatter ($Γ=1.75$) than for a typical BLS1. The most obvious feature in the hard X-ray spectrum is a narrow emission line near 6.4 keV, with an equivalent width of 50 eV. The energy and strength of this line is consistent with fluorescence from `neutral' iron in the molecular torus, and we note the emerging ubiquity of this feature in XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of Seyfert 1 galaxies over a wide luminosity range. We also find evidence for a second emission line at 6.7-6.9 keV, which we attempt to model by reflection from a highly ionised disc. A `soft excess', evident as an upward curvature in the continuum flux below 1.5 keV, cannot be explained solely by enhanced reflection from the ionised disc. The RGS spectrum shows only weak discrete emission and absorption features in the soft X-ray spectrum, supporting our conclusion that the soft excess emission in Mkn 509 represents the high energy portion of optically thick, thermal emission from the inner accretion disc.

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arXiv2001

On the "failure" of the standard model for Soft X-ray Transients in quiescence

It is currently believed that the ``standard'' accretion disk theory under-predicts the observed X-ray luminosity from Soft X-ray Transients (SXT) in quiescence by as much as 4 to 6 orders of magnitude. This failure of the standard model is considered to be an important argument for the existence of the alternative mode of accretion -- Advection Dominated Accretion Flows (ADAF) in astrophysics, since these flows allow a much higher level of X-ray emission in quiescence, in agreement with the observations. Here we point out that, in stark contrast to steady-state standard disks, such disks in quiescence (being non-steady) produce most of the X-ray emission very far from the last stable orbit. Taking this into account, these disks can accommodate the observed X-ray luminosities of SXTs rather naturally. Our theory predicts that Fe K-alpha lines from standard accretion disks in quiescence should be narrow even though the cold disk goes all the way down to the last stable orbit.

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arXiv2001

Narrow Moving Fe K-alpha lines from magnetic flares in AGN

We point out that luminous magnetic flares, thought to occur in standard AGN accretion disks, cannot be located much higher than few pressure scale heights above the disk. Using this fact, we estimate the fraction of the disk surface illuminated by a typical flare. This fraction turns out to be very small for geometrically thin disks, which implies that the instantaneous Fe K-alpha emission line from a specific magnetic flare is narrow. The line is red- or blue-shifted depending on the position of the observer relative to the flare and sweeps across the line band with time. We present several examples of theoretical time-resolved line profiles from such flares for a non-rotating black hole. The observations of such moving features with future X-ray telescopes will present a powerful test of the accretion disk geometry and may also test General Relativity in the strong field limit.

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arXiv2000

Modeling the X-ray - UV Correlations in NGC 3516

We test the "reprocessing paradigm" of the optical -- UV AGN variability by detailed modeling of the correlated X-ray -- optical (3590 and 5510 Angstrem) variability of the recent multiwavelength campaign of NGC 3516. We produce model optical light curves by convolving the observed X-ray flux with the response function of an infinite, thin accretion disk, illuminated by a point-like X-ray source at a given height above the compact object (the lamp-post model) and compare their properties to those observed. Special attention is given to the correct computation of the X-ray albedo of the disk. We further compute the X-ray reflection response at two energies (E = 1 and 20 keV) and argue for the possibility of hard lags in their cross spectra. We also compute the continuum Optical -- UV and the X-ray reflection spectra as well as the Fe K-alpha fluorescent line profiles which we also compare to observations. Despite the large (~50 percent) amplitude excursions of the X-ray flux, the model optical light curves exhibit variability amplitudes of 3 -- 4 percent, not unlike those observed. However, the model CCF between the X-ray and the model optical variations show clear lags of 0.1 and 0.25 days for black hole masses M = 10^7 and 10^8 Solar masses, respectively, not apparent in the data. The synchrony of X-ray - optical variations points toward the BH mass < 10^7 Solar masses, whereas the X-ray spectra prefer BH mass > 10^8. Our conclusion is that the combination of the observed optical/UV/X-ray spectral and timing observations are inconsistent with the lamp-post model geometry for NGC 3516.

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arXiv2000

Ionization physics evidence for magnetic flare origin of X-rays in AGN

We present full disk X-ray reflection spectra for two currently popular accretion flow geometries for AGN -- the lamppost model frequently used to discuss the iron line reverberation in AGN, and the model where the X-rays are produced in magnetic flares above a cold accretion disk (AD). The lamppost spectra contain several spectroscopic features characteristic of highly ionized material that are not seen in the X-ray spectra of most AGN. The magnetic flare model, on the other hand, produces reflected spectra that are roughly a super-position of a power-law and a {\em neutral-like} reflection and iron K$α$ line, and are thus more in line with typical AGN X-ray spectra. Furthermore, because of the difference in the ionization structure of the illuminated material in the two models, the line equivalent width increases with the X-ray luminosity, $L_x$, for the lamppost, and decreases with $L_x$ for the flare model. In light of these theoretical insights, recent iron line reverberation studies of AGN, the X-ray Baldwin effect, and the general lack of X-ray reflection features in distant quasars all suggest that, for high accretion rates, the cold accretion disk is covered by a Thomson thick, completely ionized skin. Because the latter is only possible when the X-rays are concentrated to small emitting regions, we believe that this presents a strong evidence for the magnetic flare origin of X-rays in AGN.

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arXiv2000

Accretion disk models and their X-ray reflection signatures. I. Local spectra

X-ray illumination of accretion disks is an invaluable diagnostic of the structure of these disks because of the associated iron K$α$ emission. Here we point out that the resulting reflected spectra depend very sensitively on the geometry of the X-ray source, and that this fact can be efficiently used to test these models observationally. In particular, we discuss three different accretion disk geometries: the ``lamppost model'', accretion disks with magnetic flares, and the model with a full corona overlying a cold thin disk. We show that in the case of the lamppost model, unless the X-ray luminosity of the central source is larger than that of the cold disk by a factor of 10 or more, a significant fraction of iron in the ionized skin of the disk is in the hydrogen and helium-like ions. Because these ions have large fluorescence yields, the resulting reflected spectra look strongly ionized, with Equivalent Width (EW) of the line {\em increasing} with X-ray luminosity $L_x$ up to the maximum of $\sim 500$ eV. This situation contrasts to the magnetic flare model, where the large X-ray flux near flares completely ionizes the skin of the disk and thus the resulting spectra appear to be that from a neutral material. The line EW in this model {\em anti-correlates} with X-ray luminosity, and becomes arbitrarily small when $L_x$ is a good fraction of the Eddington luminosity. Finally, in the full corona case, due to the additional pressure and weight of the corona, the gas pressure (and its density) below the corona is always large enough to make the gas very cool and effectively neutral. No highly ionized skin forms in such a model. If the corona is Thomson thin, then EW of the line does not depend on the accretion disk or corona luminosities for the full corona model.

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arXiv1999

On the X-ray heated skin of Accretion Disks

We present a simple analytical formula for the Thomson depth of the X-ray heated skin of accretion disks valid at any radius and for a broad range of spectral indices of the incident X-rays, accretion rates and black hole masses. We expect that this formula may find useful applications in studies of geometry of the inner part of accretion flows around compact objects, and in several other astrophysically important problems, such as the recently observed X-ray ``Baldwin'' effect (i.e., monotonic decrease of Fe line's equivalent width with the X-ray luminosity of AGN), the problem of missing Lyman edge in AGN, and line and continuum variability studies in accretion disks around compact objects. We compute the reflected X-ray spectra for several representative cases and show that for hard X-ray spectra and large ionizing fluxes the skin represents a perfect mirror that does not produce any Fe lines or absorption features. At the same time, for soft X-ray spectra or small ionizing fluxes, the skin produces very strong ionized absorption edge and highly ionized Fe lines that should be observable in the reflected spectra.

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arXiv1999

Thermal Instability and Photoionized X-ray Reflection in Accretion Disks

We study the X-ray illumination of an accretion disk. We relax the simplifying assumption of constant gas density used in most previous studies; instead we determine the density from hydrostatic balance. It is found that the thermal ionization instability prevents the illuminated gas from attaining temperatures at which the gas is unstable. In particular, the uppermost layers of the X-ray illuminated gas are found to be almost completely ionized and at the local Compton temperature ($\sim 10^7 - 10^8$ K); at larger depths, the gas temperature drops abruptly to form a thin layer with $T\sim 10^6$ K, while at yet larger depths it decreases sharply to the disk effective temperature. We find that most of the Fe K$α$ line emission and absorption edge are produced in the coolest, deepest layers, while the Fe atoms in the hottest, uppermost layers are generally almost fully ionized, hence making a negligible contribution to reprocessing features in $\sim 6.4-10$ keV energy range. We provide a summary of how X-ray reprocessing features depend on parameters of the problem. The results of our self-consistent calculations are both quantitatively and qualitatively different from those obtained using the constant density assumption. Therefore, we conclude that X-ray reflection calculations should always utilize hydrostatic balance in order to provide a reliable theoretical interpretation of observed X-ray spectra of AGN and GBHCs.

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arXiv1999

Time-Dependent Disk Models for the Microquasar GRS1915+105

We investigate different accretion disk models and viscosity prescriptions in order to provide a basic explanation for the exotic temporal behavior in GRS 1915+105. Based on the fact that the overall cycle times are very much longer than the rise/fall time scales in GRS 1915, we rule out the geometry of ADAF or a hot quasi-spherical region plus a cold outer disk for this source. We thus concentrate on geometrically thin Shakura-Sunyaev type disks (Shakura & Sunyaev 1973; hereafter SS73). We have devised a modified viscosity law that has a quasi-stable upper branch. Via numerical simulations, we show that the model does account for several gross observational features of GRS 1915+105. On the other hand, the rise/fall time scales are not short enough, and no rapid oscillations on time scales $\simlt$ 10 s emerge naturally from the model. We then consider and numerically test a more elaborate model that includes the cold disk, a corona, and plasma ejections from the inner disk region and show that this model allows us to reproduce several additional observed features of GRS 1915+105. We conclude that the most likely structure of the accretion flow in this source is that of a cold disk with a modified viscosity prescription, plus a corona that accounts for much of the X-ray emission, and unsteady plasma ejections that occur when the luminosity of the source is high.

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arXiv1998

Pressure Ionization Instability: Connection between Seyferts and GBHCs

Spectrum of Seyfert 1 Galaxies (S1G hereafter) is very similar to that of several Galactic Black Hole Candidates (GBHCs) in their hard state, suggestive that both classes of objects have similar physical processes. However, recent work has shown that reprocessing features make the patchy corona-disk model (PCD model: the best current explanation of S1G spectrum) problematic for GBHCs. To address the similarities and differences in spectrum of Seyferts and GBHCs, we consider the structure of the ionized X-ray skin near an active magnetic flare. We show that the X-ray skin is subject to a thermal instability, similar in nature to the well known ionization instability of quasar emission line regions. Due to the much higher ionizing X-ray flux in GBHCs, the only stable solution for the upper layer of the accretion disk is that in which it is highly ionized and is at the Compton temperature ($\sim $ few keV). We show that this accounts for the difference in spectrum of GBHCs and S1G. In addition, same instability, applied to S1G, leads to the X-ray skin temperature $T\sim 1-3\times 10^5$ Kelvin, which then may explain the observed spectral shape of BBB.

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arXiv1998

Corona Energy Budget in AGN and GBHCs

Recent progress in observations and understanding of spectra of Seyfert Galaxies shows that X-rays are most likely produced by magnetic flares on the surface of the disk, similar to Solar X-ray emission. However, while the model reproduces the shape of the spectrum well, the question of the overall normalization of the X-ray component relative to the bolometric luminosity has not been previously considered. Here we show that, in gas-dominated accretion disks, the magnetic energy transport can indeed power the corona in a way consistent with observations, {\it if} magnetic field in the disk is mostly contained to strong magnetic flux tubes. However, in radiation dominated disks radiation diffusion makes the field weak/diffuse, and thus the magnetic energy transport is less efficient, i.e., in such disks the disk intrinsic emission should be the dominant component in the overall spectrum. We compare our findings to observations, and conclude that our theory can account for the often observed ``steeper when brighter'' behavior in AGN and the hard-soft spectral transitions in GBHCs.

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arXiv1998

X-rays From Magnetic Flares In Cygnus X-1: The Role Of A Transition Layer

The spectrum of Seyfert 1 Galaxies is very similar to that of several Galactic Black Hole Candidates (GBHCs) in their hard state, suggestive that both classes of objects have similar physical processes. While it appears that an accretion disk corona (ADC) model, where the corona sandwiches the cold accretion disk, is capable of explaining the observations of Seyfert galaxies, recent work has shown that this model is problematic for GBHCs. To address the differences in the spectra of Seyferts and GBHCs, we consider the structure of the atmosphere of the accretion disk in a region near an active magnetic flare (we refer to this region as transition layer). We show that the transition layer is subject to a thermal instability. Due to the much higher ionizing X-ray flux in GBHCs, the only stable solution for the upper layer of the accretion disk is that in which it is highly ionized and is at the Compton temperature ($kT \sim $ a few keV). Using numerical simulations for a slab geometry ADC, we show that the presence of a transition layer can significantly alter the spectrum of escaping radiation for modest optical depths. The presence of the transition layer also leads to a reduction in reprocessing features, i.e., the iron line and the X-ray reflection hump. We find that due to the thermal instability of the surface of the accretion disk, which leads to different endpoints for GBHCs and Seyfert galaxies, the X-ray spectra from these two types of objects can be explained by a single unifying ADC model.

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arXiv1998

The Physics of Accretion Disks with Magnetic Flares

Rapid progress in multi-wavelength observations of Seyfert Galaxies in recent years is providing evidence that X-ray emission in these objects may be produced by magnetic flares occurring above a cold accretion disk. Here we attempt to develop a physically consistent model of accretion disks producing radiation via magnetic flares as well as the optically thick intrinsic disk emission. We place a special emphasis on comparison of the theory and the observations of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Galactic Black Hole Candidates (GBHCs). In particular, theoretical issues considered in this work provide tentative explanations for: (1) the origin of the Big Blue Bump of Seyfert 1 Galaxies. (2) the recently discovered X-ray Baldwin effect and the controversy over the existence of BBBs in quasars more luminous than typical Seyferts. (3) The differences and similarities in X-ray spectra of Galactic Black Hole Candidates and Seyfert 1s. (4) The hard/soft state transitions of GBHCs and AGN. Our conclusion is that the agreement between the theory and observations is very encouraging and we thus suggest that the physics of magnetic flares is the physics that should be added to the standard accretion disk theory in order to produce a more realistic description of radiation from accretion flows with a large angular momentum.

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arXiv1998

X-rays From Magnetic Flares In Cygnus X-1: A Unified Model With Seyfert Galaxies

Some recent work has shown that the spectrum of Seyfert 1 Galaxies is very similar to that of several Galactic Black Hole Candidates (GBHCs) in their hard state. However, the smallness of the observed reflection component in Cygnus X-1, in addition to other constraints, seem to rule out the two-phase model (otherwise successful in the case of Seyfert Galaxies) for GBHCs. Here, we show that the latter conclusion is based on a number of key assumptions that probably are not valid when the overlying corona is patchy, e.g., when it is comprised of localized magnetic flares above the disk. We show that in GBHCs the energy deposited by the X-rays cannot be re-radiated fast enough to maintain equilibrium, unless the X-ray skin heats up to the Compton temperature, at which point the gas is mostly ionized. This leads to a substantially reduced cooling rate for the active regions due to the correspondingly smaller number of re-injected low-energy photons. We model this effect by introducing a transition layer situated between the corona and the cold disk, and find that the resulting spectrum is harder than that obtained with the standard (and unrealistic) two-phase model. We apply this model to Cygnus X-1 and show that it can account for its observed spectrum. This analysis therefore seems to provide a consistentpicture for both Seyfert Galaxies and GBHCs within the same framework, with differences arising due to the changing physical conditionsin the two categories of sources, rather than due to an ad hoc variation of the model parameters.

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arXiv1997

Magnetic Flares and State Transitions in Galactic Black Hole and Neutron Star Systems

We here examine the conditions of the two-phase disk model under which magnetic flares arise above the cold accretion disk due to magnetic buoyancy and produce X-rays via Comptonization of the disk's soft radiation. We find that the disk's ability to produce strong magnetic flares is substantially diminished in its radiation dominated regions due to the diffusion of radiation into the magnetic flux tubes. Using a simplified, yet physically self-consistent, model that takes this effect into account, we show that the hard X-ray spectrum of some GBHCs can be explained as the X-ray emission by magnetic flares only when the disk's bolometric luminosity is a relatively small fraction ($\sim$ 5%) of the Eddington value, $L_{Edd}$. Further, we compute the hard ($20-200$ keV) and soft ($1-20$ keV) X-ray power as a function of the disk's luminosity, and find an excellent agreement with the available data for GBHC transient and persistent sources. We conclude that the observed high-energy spectrum of stellar-sized accretion disk systems can be explained by Comptonization of the disk's soft radiation by the hot gas trapped inside the magnetic flares when the luminosity falls in the range $\sim 10^{-3}-10^{-1}\times L_{Edd}$. For higher luminosities, another emission mechanism must be at work. For lower luminosities, the X-ray emissivity may still be dominated by magnetic flares, but this process is more likely to be thermal or non-thermal bremstrahlung, so that the X-ray spectrum below $\sim 10^{-3}L_{Edd}$ may be quite distinct from the typical hard spectrum for higher luminosities.

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arXiv1997

Physical Constraints on, and a Model for, the Active Regions in Seyfert Galaxies

We discuss several physical constraints on the nature of the Active Regions (AR) in Seyfert 1 Galaxies, and show that a plausible model consistent with these constraints is one in which the ARs are magnetically confined and ``fed''. The unique X-ray index of these sources points to a large compactness parameter ($l\gg 1$). This, together with the conditions required to account for the observed optical depth being close to unity, suggests that the magnetic energy density in the AR should be comparable to the equipartition value in the accretion disk, and that it should be released in a flare-like event above the surface of the cold accretion disk. We consider the various issues pertaining to magnetic flares and attempt to construct a coherent picture, including a reason for the optical depth in the AR being $\sim 1$, and an understanding of the characteristics of the X-ray reflection component and the power density spectra associated with this high-energy emission.

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arXiv1997

Magnetic Flares and the Observed Optical Depth in Seyfert Galaxies

We here consider the pressure equilibrium during an intense magnetic flare above the surface of a cold accretion disk. Under the assumption that the heating source for the plasma trapped within the flaring region is an influx of energy transported inwards with a group velocity close to $c$, e.g., by magnetohydrodynamic waves, this pressure equilibrium can constrain the Thomson optical depth $τ_T$ to be of order unity. We suggest that this may be the reason why $τ_T\sim 1$ in Seyfert Galaxies. We also consider whether current data can distinguish between the spectrum produced by a single X-ray emitting region with $τ_T\sim 1$ and that formed by many different flares spanning a range of $τ_T$. We find that the current observations do not yet have the required energy resolution to permit such a differentiation. Thus, it is possible that the entire X-ray/$γ$-ray spectrum of Seyfert Galaxies is produced by many independent magnetic flares with an optical depth $0.5<τ_T<2$.

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