Accreting Black Holes in the new era of X-ray polarimetry missions

This research project, no. 21-06825X, is funded by the Czech Science Foundation as the EXPRO type of grant projects under the Discipline Commitee EX1 - Mathematics and Physics 1 in the period of 1/1/2021 - 31/12/2025.

The project studies the environment in the closest vicinity of accreting black holes in Galactic X-ray binaries. While the black hole form their fundamental element, these systems typically consist of two additional main constituents - an accretion disk and a corona. With the help of the most up-to-date methods in X-ray polarimetry and variability research, including traditional approach of spectroscopy, we study these components and their mutual physical interactions in X-ray band. To this aim we develop new numerical models that link all the acting components together as a whole. In this project a compact team has been created, consisting of Czech scientists who actively participate on preparations of new X-ray polarimetric missions, Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE, NASA, 2021) and enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry mission (eXTP, China- Europe, 2027), including European large observatory Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (Athena, ESA, 2031), and in this way the project supports Czech participation in the scientific programme of these space missions.

Papers

• Abramowicz M., Horák J. & Klimovičová K. (2021)
  Wave-fronts of gravitational waves partially trapped in ultra-compact stars
  Will be published in the Proceedings of the Rencontres de Moriond on Gravitation, 2021.
  [ADS] [arXiv]
• 10.1093/mnras/stab725
  Kammoun E.S., Papadakis I.E. & Dovčiak M. (2021)
  Modeling the UV/optical continuum time-lags in AGN
  MNRAS, 503, pp.4163-4171
  [ADS] [arXiv]
• 10.1016/j.asr.2021.09.012
  Karas V, Zajaček M, Kunneriath D & Dovčiak M (2022)
  Electromagnetic signatures of strong-field gravity from accreting black-holes
  Advances in Space Research, 69, pp.448-466
  [ADS]
• 10.1093/mnras/stab3714
  Podgorný J., Dovčiak M., Marin F., Goosmann R. & Różańska, A. (2022)
  Spectral and polarisation properties of reflected X-ray emission from black hole accretion discs
  MNRAS, 510, pp.4723–4735
  [ADS] [arXiv]

Software

• Xspec Table Model Generator – a Python module that helps to create table models for XSPEC
• Xspec spectral model KYNSED – a physical model for the broadband energy spectrum of X-ray illuminated accretion discs

Presentations

• Abramowicz M. & Horák J.
  The fight between Classical and Quantum
  The Recontres de Moriond on Gravitation, 9-11/3/2021