Observational properties of accretion discs: Precessing and warped?

Charles, Phil; Clarkson, Will; Cornelisse, Remon; Shih, Chun
Bibliographical reference

New Astronomy Reviews, Volume 51, Issue 10-12, p. 768-774.

Advertised on:
5
2008
Number of authors
4
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
20
Refereed citations
19
Description
Over the last 40 years, X-ray astronomy missions have revealed long-term, superorbital periods in a variety of X-ray binaries. These modulations can provide significant constraints on the physical properties of accretion discs. Some of these modulations are Her X-1-like and are interpreted as irradiation-driven, tilted, precessing accretion discs. Others show more complex light curves, with the period changing on timescales >1000 d, and are interpreted in terms of the Ogilvie and Dubus [Ogilvie, G.I., Dubus, G., 2001, MNRAS 320, 485 (OD01)] disc stability criteria. We suggest a categorisation of superorbital periods into six different types, based on their observed characteristics.
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