Sawtooth-like oscillations of black hole accretion disks

Abstract

AbstractWe studied the origin of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) of X-rays in black hole candidates by three-dimensional global resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulations of accretion disks. Initial state is a rotating disk threaded by weak toroidal magnetic fields. General relativistic effects are simulated by using the pseudo-Newtonian potential. When the temperature of the outer disk decreases, the accreting matter accumulates into an inner torus.We found that the inner torus is deformed into a crescent shape and that it shows sawtooth-like oscillations of magnetic energy with frequency 3-5Hz when the mass of the black hole is 10M⊙. The magnetic energy inside the torus is amplified until magnetic reconnection suddenly releases the accumulated magnetic energy. A new cycle of the oscillation starts when magnetic energy is amplified again. We found that high frequency QPOs with frequency around 100Hz in stellar mass black holes are excited when sawtooth-like oscillation appears in the inner torus.