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Seminars

Measuring the Spin of Microquasars

Speaker Dr. Michal Bursa
Affiliation Astronomical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic
Date September 20, 2010 (Mon)
Time 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Venue Room 522, 5/F, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building, HKU

Abstract:

The method of estimating spins of galactic microquasars, which is presently used, suffers from being unable to obtain a consistent spin value for a range of luminosities. The reason is that it relies on the relativistic version of the thin Shakura-Sunyaev disk model. High luminosity optically thick accretion disks are however better described by the slim accretion disk model, which may be used to improve the reliability of such spin estimates. In the talk, I will point out few aspects of X-ray continuum fitting using both thin and slim disk models and make comments on the current state of the accretion disk theory.

 

Coffee and tea will be served 20 minutes prior to the seminar.