Modulation of the X-ray Fluxes by the AEI

Abstract

The Accretion-Ejection Instability (AEI) has been proposed to explain the low frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillation (QPO) observed in low-mass X-Ray Binaries. Its frequency, typically a fraction of the Keplerian frequency at the disk inner radius, is in the right range indicated by observations. With numerical simulation we will show how this instability is able to produce a modulation of the X-ray flux and what are the characteristic of this modulation. More simulations are required, especially 3D MHD simulations. We will briefly present a new code in development: AstroBear which will allow us to create synthetic spectra.

4 pages, 5 figures, SF2A-2003: Semaine de l'Astrophysique Francaise, meeting held in Bordeaux, France, June 16-20, 2003. Eds.: F. Combes, D. Barret and T. Contini. EdP-Sciences, Conference Series