The existence of inner cool disks in the low hard state of accreting black holes

B. F. Liu, Ronald E. Taam., F. Meyer, E. Meyer-Hofmeister

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

We present our recent study on the condensation of matter from a corona to a cool, optically thick inner disk for black hole X-ray transient systems in the low hard state. A simple model for the exchange of energy and mass between the corona and disk promoted by thermal conduction is introduced. It is found that a weak, condensation-fed inner disk can be present in the low hard state of black hole transients for a range of luminosities which depend on the magnitude of the corona viscosity. For α ∼ 0:1-0:4, an inner disk can exist for luminosities in the range of 0.001-0.02 Eddington luminosity. The model is applied to the black hole candidate sources GX 339-4 in the low hard state for which evidence is provided pointing to the possible existence of a cool inner disk (Miller et al. 2006a). It is found that Compton cooling processes are important in the condensation, leading to the maintenance of cool inner disks in GX 339-4 in its low hard state.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAstrophysics of Compact Objects - International Conference on Astrophysics of Compact Objects
Pages318-321
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008
EventInternational Conference on Astrophysics of Compact Objects - Huangshan City, China
Duration: Jul 1 2007Jul 7 2007

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume968
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Other

OtherInternational Conference on Astrophysics of Compact Objects
Country/TerritoryChina
CityHuangshan City
Period7/1/077/7/07

Keywords

  • Accretion, accretion disks
  • Black hole physics
  • Stars: Individual(GX 339-4)
  • X-rays: Binaries
  • X-rays: Stars

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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