Magnetic precession as a model for quasi-periodic oscillations in pulsating ultraluminous X-ray sources and in flat-top noise sources
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F47813059%3A19630%2F25%3AA0000450" target="_blank" >RIV/47813059:19630/25:A0000450 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/11/aa55210-25/aa55210-25.html" target="_blank" >https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/11/aa55210-25/aa55210-25.html</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202555210" target="_blank" >10.1051/0004-6361/202555210</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Magnetic precession as a model for quasi-periodic oscillations in pulsating ultraluminous X-ray sources and in flat-top noise sources
Original language description
Context. Several instances of low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) have been reported for ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), including three observed for pulsating ULXs (PULXs) to date. The nature of various ULXs and the detailed properties of accretion in PULXs remain unclear. Aims. We seek to determine if there exists a QPO model that fits the data and we investigate whether mHz QPOs can be used to constrain the magnetic field and accretion rate of the neutron stars in PULXs. Furthermore, we consider whether all the low-frequency QPOs in ULXs can be interpreted as a manifestation of the same phenomenon. Methods. The available data indicates that the mHz QPO frequency is inversely proportional to the neutron star rotational period in PULXs. We examined two different physical models that could potentially explain this frequency-period dependence: 1) a precession of the inner accretion disk and torus in the strong gravity of a spinning neutron star and 2) inner disk precession forced by the neutron star magnetic field. In the latter case, we applied a magnetic precession model to the PULX data, with the magnetic threading of the accretion disk constrained by recent simulations. Results. Based on the magnetic precession model and on recent progress in the study of the inner structure of accretion disks, we predict an inverse scaling of QPO frequency with the neutron star period in PULXs. The theoretical curve is largely independent of the stellar magnetic field or mass accretion rate and agrees with the data for the known QPOs in PULXs. Alternatively, precession of strong-gravity origin would imply a restrictive upper limit on the stellar magnetic dipole. The flat-top noise QPOs detected in (non-pulsating) ULXs display observational properties that appear to be very different from the QPOs detected in PULXs, indicating they might have different origins.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GX21-06825X" target="_blank" >GX21-06825X: Accreting Black Holes in the new era of X-ray polarimetry missions</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
ISSN
0004-6361
e-ISSN
1432-0746
Volume of the periodical
703
Issue of the periodical within the volume
November 25
Country of publishing house
FR - FRANCE
Number of pages
7
Pages from-to
„A7-1“-„A7-7“
UT code for WoS article
001607893300004
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105021359061