Reanalysis of the RXTE observations of the black-hole candidate XTE J1650-500 in the 2001/2002 outburst

We present the results of the spectral fits made to 59 Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer （RXTE） observations of the Galactic X-Ray Black-Hole Candidate XTE J1650–500 covering the first 30d of its 2001/2002 outburst when the source was in a transition from the hard state to the soft state. The photon spectra can be well fit- ted with a phenomenological model of a power-law/cutoff power-law and a physical model of bulk-motion Comptonization. The spectral properties smoothly evolve away from the hard state and then stay in the soft state. The fitting results of the physical model reveal the peak of the burst had a flux of 2.90 × 10-8 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 2–100 keV energy range and was observed on 2001 Sep. 9; it transitioned to the hard state. The total flux decays by a factor of ～3 as it evolves into the soft state. The photon index Γ increases from ～1.5 in the hard state and stays at ～2.5 in the soft state. We found that the effective area of the high-energy X-ray emission region （the Compton cloud） decreases, i.e. the area of the Compton cloud decreases by a factor of ～23 during the transition from the hard state to the soft state. Combining the new radio and quasi-periodic oscillation studies, the model of total flux in the 2–100 keV energy range, the jet emission and the timing analysis during the state transition, we suggest a possible geometry and evolution for the （jet＋corona＋disk） system, like that proposed by Kalemci et al. based on enhanced lags and peak frequency shift during the transition.

Jet-dominated quiescent state in black hole X-ray binaries: the cases of A0620–00 and XTE J1118+480

The radiative mechanism of black hole X-ray transients （BHXTs） in their quiescent states （defined as the 2-10 keV X-ray luminosity ≤ 10^34 erg s-1） remains unclear. In this work, we investigate the quasi-simultaneous quiescent state spectrum （including radio, infrared, optical, ultraviolet and X-ray） of two BHXTs, A0620-00 and XTE J1118＋480. We find that these two sources can be well described by a coupled accretion - jet model. More specifically, most of the emission （radio up to infrared, and the X-ray waveband） comes from the collimated relativistic jet. Emission from hot accretion flow is totally insignificant, and it can only be observed in mid-infrared （the synchrotron peak）. Emission from the outer cold disk is only evident in the UV band. These results are consistent with our previous investigation on the quiescent state of V404 Cyg and confirm that the quiescent state is jet-dominated.

Rapid identification of time-frequency domain gravitational wave signals from binary black holes using deep learning

Recent developments in deep learning techniques have provided alternative and complementary approaches to the traditional matched-filtering methods for identifying gravitational wave(GW)signals.The rapid and accurate identification of GW signals is crucial to the advancement of GW physics and multi-messenger astronomy,particularly considering the upcoming fourth and fifth observing runs of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA.In this study,we used the 2D U-Net algorithm to identify time-frequency domain GW signals from stellar-mass binary black hole(BBH)mergers.We simulated BBH mergers with component masses ranging from 7 to 50 M_(⊙)and accounted for the LIGO detector noise.We found that the GW events in the first and second observation runs could all be clearly and rapidly identified.For the third observing run,approximately 80% of the GW events could be identified.In contrast to traditional convolutional neural networks,the U-Net algorithm can output time-frequency domain signal images corresponding to probabilities,providing a more intuitive analysis.In conclusion,the U-Net algorithm can rapidly identify the time-frequency domain GW signals from BBH mergers.

Impacts of gravitational-wave background from supermassive black hole binaries on the detection of compact binaries by LISA

In the frequency band of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna(LISA),extensive research has been conducted on the impact of foreground confusion noise generated by galactic binaries within the Milky Way Galaxy.Additionally,recent evidence of a stochastic signal,announced by the NANOGrav,EPTA,PPTA,CPTA,and InPTA,indicates that the stochastic gravitational-wave background(SGWB)generated by supermassive black hole binaries(SMBHBs)can contribute strong background noise within the LISA band.Given the presence of such strong noise,it is expected to have significant impacts on LISA's scientific missions.In this study,we investigate the impacts of the SGWB generated by SMBHBs on the detection of individual massive black hole binaries,verified galactic binaries,and extreme mass ratio inspirals in the context of LISA.We find it essential to resolve and eliminate the excess noise from the SGWB to guarantee the success of LISA's missions.

BINARY BLACK HOLES

Of all the mysteries of the universe,black holes are one of the most interesting—discussed in all seriousness in universities and with great levity at dinner parties.Professor Liu Fukun of the Department of Astronomy and the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at PekingUniversity has taken the lead on the discovery of two supermassive black holes orbiting each other in a far off,quiet galaxy.Most galaxies,including our own beloved Milky Way have

Implications for the supermassive black hole binaries from the NANOGrav 15-year data set

Several pulsar timing array(PTA)collaborations,including NANOGrav,EPTA,PPTA,and CPTA,have announced the evidence for a stochastic signal consistent with a stochastic gravitational wave background(SGWB).Supermassive black hole binaries(SMBHBs)are supposed to be the most promising gravitational-wave(GW)sources for this signal.In this paper,we use the NANOGrav 15-year data set to constrain the parameter space in an astro-informed formation model for SMBHBs.Our results prefer a large turn-over eccentricity of the SMBHB orbit when GWs begin to dominate the SMBHB evolution.Furthermore,the SGWB spectrum is extrapolated to the space-borne GW detector frequency band by including inspiral-merge-cutoff phases of SMBHBs,indicating that the SGWB from SMBHBs should be detected by LISA,Taiji and Tian Qin in the near future.

Preface: Frontiers in Astrophysics(Ⅱ)——A special issue dedicated to the 20th anniversary of RAA(2001–2020)

On the arrival of the 20 th anniversary of the journal,Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics(RAA),we see rapid progress in the frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics.To celebrate the birth and growth of RAA,a special issue consisting of 11 invited reviews from more than 30 authors,mainly from China,has been organized.This is the second volume of the special issues entitled Frontiers in Astrophysics published in RAA.The publication aims at evaluating the current status and key progress in some frontier areas of astronomy and astrophysics with a spirit of guiding future studies.

Dynamics of High-Order Spin-Orbit Couplings about Linear Momenta in Compact Binary Systems

This paper relates to the post-Newtonian Hamiltonian dynamics of spinning compact binaries, consisting of the Newtonian Kepler problem and the leading, next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading order spin-orbit couplings as linear functions of spins and momenta. When this Hamiltonian form is transformed to a Lagrangian form, besides the terms corresponding to the same order terms in the Hamiltonian, several additional terms, third post-Newtonian(3 PN),4 PN, 5 PN, 6 PN and 7 PN order spin-spin coupling terms, yield in the Lagrangian. That means that the Hamiltonian is nonequivalent to the Lagrangian at the same PN order but is exactly equivalent to the full Lagrangian without any truncations. The full Lagrangian without the spin-spin couplings truncated is integrable and regular. Whereas it is non-integrable and becomes possibly chaotic when any one of the spin-spin terms is dropped. These results are also supported numerically.

Accuracy of numerical relativity waveforms with respect to space-based gravitational wave detectors

As with the laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatory(LIGO),the matched filtering technique will be critical to the data analysis of gravitational wave detection by space-based detectors,including LISA,Taiji and Tianqin.Waveform templates are the basis for such matched filtering techniques.To construct ready-to-use waveform templates,numerical relativity waveforms are a starting point.Therefore,the accuracy issue of numerical relativity waveforms is critically important.There are many investigations regarding this issue with respect to LIGO.But unfortunately there are few results on this issue with respect to space-based detectors.The current paper investigates this problem.Our results indicate that the existing numerical relativity waveforms are as accurate as 99%with respect to space-based detectors,including LISA,Taiji and Tianqin.Such an accuracy level is comparable to that with respect to LIGO.

On networks of space-based gravitational-wave detectors

The space-based laser interferometers,LISA,Taiji and TianQin,are targeting to observe milliHz gravitational waves(GWs)in the 2030s.The joint observations from multiple space-based detectors yield significant advantages.In this work,we recap the studies and investigations for the joint space-based GW detector networks to highlight:1)the high precision of sky localization for the massive binary black hole(BBH)coalescences and the GW sirens in the cosmological implication,2)the effectiveness to test the parity violation in the stochastic GW background observations,3)the efficiency of subtracting galactic foreground,4)the improvement in stellar-mass BBH observations.We inspect alternative networks by trading off massive BBH observations and stochastic GW background observation.

Forecast for cosmological parameter estimation with gravitational-wave standard sirens from the LISA-Taiji network

LISA and Taiji are expected to form a space-based gravitational-wave(GW)detection network in the future.In this work,we make a forecast for the cosmological parameter estimation with the standard siren observation from the LISA-Taiji network.We simulate the standard siren data based on a scenario with configuration angle of 40°between LISA and Taiji.Three models for the population of massive black hole binary(MBHB),i.e.,popⅢ,Q3d,and Q3nod,are considered to predict the events of MBHB mergers.We find that,based on the LISA-Taiji network,the number of electromagnetic(EM)counterparts detected is almost doubled compared with the case of single Taiji mission.Therefore,the LISA-Taiji network’s standard siren observation could provide much tighter constraints on cosmological parameters.For example,solely using the standard sirens from the LISA-Taiji network,the constraint precision of H;could reach 1.3%.Moreover,combined with the CMB data,the GW-EM observation based on the LISA-Taiji network could also tightly constrain the equation of state of dark energy,e.g.,the constraint precision of w reaches about 4%,which is comparable with the result of CMB+BAO+SN.It is concluded that the GW standard sirens from the LISA-Taiji network will become a useful cosmological probe in understanding the nature of dark energy in the future.

Constraining the Hubble constant to a precision of about 1% using multi-band dark standard siren detections

Gravitational wave signal from the inspiral of stellar-mass binary black hole can be used as standard sirens to perform cosmological inference.This inspiral covers a wide range of frequency bands,from the millihertz band to the audio-band,allowing for detections by both space-borne and ground-based gravitational wave detectors.In this work,we conduct a comprehensive study on the ability to constrain the Hubble constant using the dark standard sirens,or gravitational wave events that lack electromagnetic counterparts.To acquire the redshift information,we weight the galaxies within the localization error box with photometric information from several bands and use them as a proxy for the binary black hole redshift.We discover that Tian Qin is expected to constrain the Hubble constant to a precision of roughly 30%through detections of 10 gravitational wave events;in the most optimistic case,the Hubble constant can be constrained to a precision of<10%,assuming Tian Qin I+II.In the optimistic case,the multi-detector network of Tian Qin and LISA is capable of constraining the Hubble constant to within 5%precision.It is worth highlighting that the multi-band network of Tian Qin and Einstein Telescope is capable of constraining the Hubble constant to a precision of about 1%.We conclude that inferring the Hubble constant without bias from photo-z galaxy catalog is achievable,and we also demonstrate self-consistency using the P-P plot.On the other hand,high-quality spectroscopic redshift information is crucial for improving the estimation precision of Hubble constant.