Fast variability as a probe of the smallest regions around accreting black holes

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 431; no. 2; pp. 1987 - 1994
• Main Authors: Axelsson, Magnus, Hjalmarsdotter, Linnea, Done, Chris
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Oxford University Press 11.05.2013
• Subjects: accretion; accretion discs; Astrophysics; Black holes; Corona; Phase transitions; Spectrum analysis; X-rays: binaries; X-rays: individual: XTE J1550-564; X-rays: binaries; X-rays: individual: XTE J1550−564; accretion, accretion discs

We extract the spectra of the fastest variability (above 10 Hz) from the black hole XTE J1550−564 during a transition from hard to soft state on the rise to outburst. We confirm previous results that the rapid variability contains no significant disc component despite this being strongly present in...