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States and Transitions in Black Hole Binaries

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The Jet Paradigm

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 794))

Abstract

With the availability of the large database of black-hole transients from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer, the observed phenomenology has become very complex. The original classification of the properties of these systems in a series of static states sorted by mass accretion rate proved not to be able to encompass the new picture. I outline here a summary of the current situation and show that a coherent picture emerges when simple properties such as X-ray spectral hardness and fractional variability are considered. In particular, fast transition in the properties of the fast time variability appear to be crucial to describe the evolution of black-hole transients. Based on this picture, I present a state classification which takes into account the observed transitions. I show that, in addition to transients systems, other black-hole binaries and Active Galactic Nuclei can be interpreted within this framework. The association between these states and the physics of the accretion flow around black holes will be possible only through modeling of the full time evolution of galactic transient systems.

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Acknowledgments

A large number of colleagues have contributed to the shaping of the concepts which I have put in this chapter, and of course also to the results. Impossible to list them here, but easy to identify them as coauthors of many papers (and of other chapters of this book). The main one is certainly Jeroen Homan, whose work has started the new wave in black-hole states and is now consolidating it.

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    T.M. Belloni

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    Tomaso Belloni

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Belloni, T. (2010). States and Transitions in Black Hole Binaries. In: Belloni, T. (eds) The Jet Paradigm. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 794. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76937-8_3

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