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Protoplanetary disks around young stars are the birth sights of planetary systems like our own. Disks represent the gaseous dusty matter left after the formation of their central stars. The mass and luminosity of the star, initial disk mass and angular momentum, and gas viscosity govern disk evolution and accretion. Protoplanetary disks are the cosmic nurseries where microscopic dust grains grow into pebbles, planetesimals, and planets., 7 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Europhysics News 51/1

Our binary evolutionary code predicted until now the position of both stars in the HRD, the characteristics of the accretion disk around the gainer in the case that there is enough space between both stars for this disk. Our code includes a complete description of the tidal interaction. The code was now extended with the action of magnetic braking. Without this phenomenon the rotational velocity of the gainer can not be predicted.Magnetic braking and tides act together and the evolution of the equatorial velocity can now be followed up from birth to death of the binary. From Figure (1) in the text one sees that the equatorial velocity is kept most of the time far below critical. When the equatorial velocity is large a magnetic field is created. The subsequent magnetic braking is applied on a large number of binaries for which the equatorial velocity is measured. The result is encouraging: a large fraction of observed equatorial velocities is reproduced by our calculations., 6 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables

In 2017, the Be/X-ray transient 4U 0115+63 exhibited a new type-II outburst that was two times fainter than its 2015 giant outburst (in the Swift/BAT count rates). Despite this difference between the two bright events, the source displayed similar X-ray behaviour after these periods. Once the outbursts ceased, the source did not transit towards quiescence directly, but was detected about a factor of 10 above its known quiescent level. It eventually decayed back to quiescence over time scales of months. In this paper we present the results of our Swift monitoring campaign, and an XMM-Newton observation of 4U 0115+63 during the decay of the 2017 type-II outburst, and its subsequent low-luminosity behaviour. We discuss the possible origin of the decaying source emission at this low-level luminosity, which has now been shown as a recurrent phenomenon, in the framework of the two proposed scenarios to explain this faint state: cooling from an accretion-heated neutron-star crust or continuous low-level accretion. In addition, we compare the outcome of our study with the results we obtained from the 2015/2016 monitoring campaign on this source., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables. Accepted, Astronomy & Astrophysics

The radial transport of angular momentum in accretion disk is a fundamental process in the universe. It governs the dynamical evolution of accretion disks and has implications for various issues ranging from the formation of planets to the growth of supermassive black holes. While the importance of magnetic fields for this problem has long been demonstrated, the existence of a source of transport solely hydrodynamical in nature has proven more difficult to establish and to quantify. In recent years, a combination of results coming from experiments, theoretical work and numerical simulations has dramatically improved our understanding of hydrodynamically mediated angular momentum transport in accretion disk. Here, based on these recent developments, we review the hydrodynamical processes that might contribute to transporting angular momentum radially in accretion disks and highlight the many questions that are still to be answered., Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures, proceeding for the Astrofluid conference in honor of Jean-Paul Zahn (Paris, June 2016), references added

The Be/X-ray transient GRO J1750-27 exhibited a type-II (giant) outburst in 2015. After the source transited to quiescence, we triggered our multi-year Chandra monitoring programme to study its quiescent behaviour. The programme was designed to follow the cooling of a potentially heated neutron-star crust due to accretion of matter during the preceding outburst, similar to what we potentially have observed before in two other Be/X-ray transients, namely 4U 0115+63 and V 0332+53. However, unlike for these other two systems, we do not find any strong evidence that the neutron-star crust in GRO J1750-27 was indeed heated during the accretion phase. We detected the source at a rather low X-ray luminosity (~10^33 erg/s) during only three of our five observations. When the source was not detected it had very low-luminosity upper limits (, 13 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for A&A

Modelling the low ionization lines (LIL) in active galactic nuclei still faces problems in explaining the observed equivalent widths (EWs). We examine the optical Fe II and near-infrared Ca II triplet (CaT) emission strengths using the photoionization code CLOUDY. Using an incident continuum for I Zw 1 - a prototypical Type-1 narrow-line Seyfert galaxy, we can recover the line ratios for the optical Fe II (i.e. R$_{\rm{Fe II}}$) and the NIR CaT (i.e. R$_{\rm{CaT}}$) in agreement to the observed estimates. Although, the pairs of (U,$\rm{n_{H}}$) that reproduce the conforming line ratios, unfortunately, do not relate to agreeable line EWs. We thus propose that the LIL region of the BLR cloud doesn't see the same continuum seen by a distant observer that is emanated from the accretion disk, rather it sees a filtered version of the original continuum. The assumption of the filtered continuum as the source of BLR irradiation recovers realistic EWs for LIL species. However, our study finds that to account for the adequate R$_{\rm{Fe II}}$ (Fe II/H$\beta$ flux ratio) emission, the BLR needs to be selectively overabundant in iron. On the other hand, the R$_{\rm{CaT}}$ (CaT/H$\beta$ flux ratio) emission spans a broader range from solar to super-solar metallicities. In all these models the BLR cloud density is found to be consistent with our conclusions from prior works, i.e. $\rm{n_{H}} \sim 10^{12}$ cm$^{-3}$. An interesting result obtained here is the reduction in the value of the metallicity by up to a factor 10 for the R$_{\rm{Fe II}}$ cases when the microturbulence is invoked, suggesting that microturbulence can act as an apparent metallicity controller for the Fe II. On the contrary, the R$_{\rm{CaT}}$ cases are rather unaffected by the effect of microturbulence., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs) are a sub-class of supergiant high mass X-ray binaries hosting a neutron star accreting from the stellar wind of a massive OB companion. Compared to the classical systems, SFXTs display a pronounced variability in X-rays that has long been (at least partly) ascribed to the presence of clumps in the stellar wind. We report here on the first set of results of an on-going XMM-Newton observational program aimed at searching for spectroscopic variability during the X-ray flares and outbursts of the SFXTs. The goal of the paper is to present the observational program and show that the obtained results are according to expectations, with a number of flares (between one and four) generally observed per source and per observation (20~ks-long, on average). We base our work on a systematic and uniform analysis method optimized to consistently search for spectral signatures of a variable absorption column density, as well as other parameters of the spectral continuum. Our preliminary results show that the program is successful and the outcomes of the analysis support previous findings that most of the X-ray flares seem associated to the presence of a massive structure approaching and getting accreted by the compact object. However, we cannot rule out that other mechanisms are at work together with clumps to enhance the X-ray variability of SFXTs. This is expected according to current theoretical models. The success of these observations shows that our observational program can be a powerful instrument to deepen our understanding of the X-ray variability in SFXTs. Further observations will help us in achieving a statistically robust sample. This is required to conduct, in the future, a systematic analysis on the whole SFXT class with the ultimate goal of disentangling the role of different mechanisms giving rise to these events., Comment: Accepted for publication on A&A

Context. The number of observed tidal disruption events is increasing rapidly with the advent of new surveys. Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to improve tidal disruption event models using different stellar and orbital parameters. Aims. We study the dynamical behaviour of tidal disruption events produced by an Sgr A*-like massive black hole by changing different initial orbital parameters, taking into account the observed orbits of S stars. Investigating different types of orbits and penetration factors is important since their variations lead to different timescales of the tidal disruption event debris dynamics, making mechanisms such as self-crossing and pancaking act strongly or weakly and thus affecting the circularisation and accretion disc formation. Methods. We performed smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations. Each simulation consisted of modelling the star with 105 particles, and the density profile is described by a polytrope with γ = 5/3. The massive black hole was modelled with a generalised post-Newtonian potential, which takes into account the relativistic effects of the Schwarzschild space-time. Results. Our analyses find that mass return rate distributions of solar-like stars and S-like stars with the same eccentricities have similar durations, but S-like stars have higher mass return rate distributions, as expected due to their larger masses. Regarding debris circularisation, we identify four types of evolution related to the mechanisms and processes involved during circularisation: in type 1, the debris does not circularise efficiently, hence a disc is not formed or is formed after a relatively long time; in type 2, the debris slowly circularises and eventually forms a disc with no debris falling back; in type 3, the debris circularises relatively quickly and forms a disc while there is still debris falling back; in type 4, the debris quickly and efficiently circularises, mainly through self-crossings and shocks, and forms a disc with no debris falling back. Finally, we find that the standard relation of circularisation radius rcirc = 2rt holds only for β = 1 and eccentricities close to parabolic.

AIMS: We studied unique data of a nova-like system MV Lyr during transition from the high to low state and vice versa taken by the Kepler space telescope. We were interested in evolution of frequency components found previously by Scaringi et al. in different data also obtained by Kepler. METHODS: We divided the light curve into 10 day segments and investigated the corresponding power density spectra. We searched for individual frequency components by fitting with Lorentzian functions. Additionally, we investigated the variability using averaged shot profiles calculated from the light curve divided into 10 equally spaces subsamples. RESULTS: We found very complex changes of the power density spectra. We focused our study onto three frequency components. Strong activity increase is seen at low frequencies. Contrariwise, the high frequency part of the spectrum strongly decreases in power with specific rise in characteristic frequencies of the individual components. We discuss various scenarios of this phenomenology as reprocessing of X-rays in a receding accretion disc or a radiation from a more active region at the outer disc. Finally, we show that various cataclysmic variables show similar characteristic frequencies in their power density spectra. These are dependent on activity stage, making the situation similar to X-ray binaries., Comment: accepted for publication to A&A

We propose new analytic formulae describing light bending in Schwarzschild metric. For emission radii above the photon orbit at 1.5 Schwarzschild radius, the formulae have an accuracy of better than 0.2% for the bending angle and 3% for the lensing factor for any trajectories that turn around a compact object by less than about 160 deg. In principle, they can be applied to any emission point above the horizon of the black hole. The proposed approximation can be useful for problems involving emission from neutron stars and accretion discs around compact objects when fast accurate calculations of light bending are required. It can also be used to test the codes that compute light bending using exact expressions via elliptical integrals., Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, submitted to A&A

When the accretion disc around a weakly magnetised neutron star (NS) meets the stellar surface, it should brake down to match the rotation of the NS, forming a boundary layer. As the mechanisms potentially responsible for this braking are apparently inefficient, it is reasonable to consider this layer as a spreading layer (SL) with negligible radial extent and structure. We perform hydrodynamical 2D spectral simulations of an SL, considering the disc as a source of matter and angular momentum. Interaction of new, rapidly rotating matter with the pre-existing, relatively slow material co-rotating with the star leads to instabilities capable of transferring angular momentum and creating variability on dynamical timescales. For small accretion rates, we find that the SL is unstable for heating instability that disrupts the initial latitudinal symmetry and produces large deviations between the two hemispheres. This instability also results in breaking of the axial symmetry as coherent flow structures are formed and escape from the SL intermittently. At enhanced accretion rates, the SL is prone to shearing instability and acts as a source of oblique waves that propagate towards the poles, leading to patterns that again break the axial symmetry. We compute artificial light curves of an SL viewed at different inclination angles. Most of the simulated light curves show oscillations at frequencies close to 1kHz. We interpret these oscillations as inertial modes excited by shear instabilities near the boundary of the SL. Their frequencies, dependence on flux, and amplitude variations can explain the high-frequency pair quasi-periodic oscillations observed in many low-mass X-ray binaries., accepted to A&A; 22 pages, 21 figure

Aims.We study the spectral evolution of the H1743−322 during outbursts in the RXTE era. We aim to connect the variation of the spectral parameters with the accretion parameters along with the progress of the outbursts. We understand the evolution of the accretion parameters and hence the dynamics of the accretion process in light of the irradiated disc instability model.Methods.We provide a comprehensive study of all the outbursts of H1743−322 between 2003 and 2011. We performed spectral modelling of all the RXTE/PCA observations using phenomenological models. Also, we carried out spectral modelling by a hydrodynamic accretion flow model and estimated the accretion parameters. We applied the irradiated disc instability scenario in the presence of both Keplerian and sub-Keplerain accretion components to understand the evolution of accretion parameters. For this purpose, we propose a toy model for the time variation of the accretion rates following a powerlaw during outbursts.Results.All of the outbursts show spectral state transitions in the hardness-intensity diagram. The 2003 and 2004 outbursts are long-duration outbursts and relatively softer than the other outbursts. The 2008b and 2011 outbursts provide a unique opportunity to estimate the critical accretion rate (ṁdc) for triggering an outburst in this system within a narrow range of 0.076 <ṁdc< 0.086 (in Eddington units). In the absence of any dynamical measurement, we attempt to constrain a few orbital parameters of the system using an assumed mass andṁdcin the range.

We present results of the first dedicated observation of the young X-ray pulsar SXP 1062 in the broad X-ray energy band obtained during its 2019 outburst with the NuSTAR and XMM-Newton observatories. The analysis of the pulse-phase averaged and phase-resolved spectra in the energy band from 0.5 to 70 keV did not reveal any evidence for the presence of a cyclotron line. The spin period of the pulsar was found to have decreased to 979.48+/-0.06 s implying a ~10% reduction compared to the last measured period during the monitoring campaign conducted about five years ago, and is puzzling considering that the system apparently did not show major outbursts ever since. The switch of the pulsar to the spin-up regime supports the common assumption that torques acting on the accreting neutron star are nearly balanced and thus SXP 1062 likely also spins with a period close to the equilibrium value for this system. The current monitoring of the source revealed also a sharp drop of its soft X-ray flux right after the outburst, which is in drastic contrast to the behaviour during the previous outburst when the pulsar remained observable for years with only a minor flux decrease after the end of the outburst. This unexpected off state of the source lasted for at most 20 days after which SXP 1062 returned to the level observed during previous campaigns. We discuss this and other findings in context of the modern models of accretion onto strongly magnetized neutron stars., 7 pages, 6 figures; accepted for publication in A&A

Compared to mass transfer in cataclysmic variables, the nature of accretion in symbiotic binaries in which red giants transfer material to white dwarfs (WDs) has been difficult to uncover. The accretion flows in a symbiotic binary are most clearly observable, however, when there is no quasi-steady shell burning on the WD to hide them. RT Cru is the prototype of such non-burning symbiotics, with its hard ({\delta}-type) X-ray emission providing a view of its innermost accretion structures. In the past 20 yr, RT Cru has experienced two similar optical brightening events, separated by 4000 days and with amplitudes of {\Delta}V 1.5 mag. After Swift became operative, the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) detector revealed a hard X-ray brightening event almost in coincidence with the second optical peak. Spectral and timing analyses of multi-wavelength observations that we describe here, from NuSTAR, Suzaku, Swift/X-Ray Telescope (XRT) + BAT + UltraViolet Optical Telescope (UVOT) (photometry) and optical photometry and spectroscopy, indicate that accretion proceeds through a disk that reaches down to the WD surface. The scenario in which a massive, magnetic WD accretes from a magnetically truncated accretion disk is not supported. For example, none of our data show the minute-time-scale periodic modulations (with tight upper limits from X-ray data) expected from a spinning, magnetic WD. Moreover, the similarity of the UV and X-ray fluxes, as well as the approximate constancy of the hardness ratio within the BAT band, indicate that the boundary layer of the accretion disk remained optically thin to its own radiation throughout the brightening event, during which the rate of accretion onto the WD increased to 6.7 $\times$ 10-9 Msun yr^{-1} (d/2 kpc)^2. (Abridged abstract version), Comment: A&A accepted version

MWC758 is a young star surrounded by a transitional disk. Recently, a protoplanet candidate has been detected around MWC758 through high-resolution $L'$-band observations. The candidate is located inside the disk cavity at a separation of $\sim$111 mas from the central star, and at an average position angle of $\sim$165.5 degrees. We have performed simultaneous adaptive optics observations of MWC758 in the H$_{\alpha}$ line and the adjacent continuum using SPHERE/ZIMPOL at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We aim at detecting accreting protoplanet candidates through spectral angular differential imaging observations. The data analysis does not reveal any H$_{\alpha}$ signal around the target. The derived contrast curve in the B_Ha filter allows us to derive a 5$\sigma$ upper limit of $\sim$7.6 mag at 111 mas, the separation of the previously detected planet candidate. This contrast translates into a H$_{\alpha}$ line luminosity of $L_{\rm H_{\alpha}}\lesssim$ 5$\times$10$^{-5}$ $L_{\odot}$ at 111 mas, and an accretion luminosity of $L_{acc}, Comment: 5 pages, accepted for publication in A&A letters

During the June 2015 outburst of the black hole binary V404 Cyg, rapid changes in the X-ray brightness and spectra were common. The INTEGRAL monitoring campaign detected spectacular Eddington-limited X-ray flares, but also rapid variations at much lower flux levels. On 2015 June 21 at 20 h 50 min, the 3-10 keV JEM-X data as well as simultaneous optical data started to display a gradual brightening from one of these low-flux states. This was followed 15 min later by an order-of-magnitude increase of flux in the 20-40 keV IBIS/ISGRI light curve in just 15 s. The best-fitting model for both the pre- and post-transition spectra required a Compton-thick partially covering absorber. The absorber parameters remained constant, but the spectral slope varied significantly during the event, with the photon index decreasing from $\Gamma \approx 3.7$ to $\Gamma \approx 2.3$. We propose that the rapid 20-40 keV flux increase was either caused by a spectral state transition that was hidden from our direct view, or that there was a sudden reduction in the amount of Compton down-scattering of the primary X-ray emission in the disk outflow., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted to A&A

Context. We self-consistently model a magnetically supported accretion disk around a stellar-mass black hole with a warm optically thick corona based on first principles. We consider the gas heating by magneto-rotational instability dynamo. Aims. Our goal is to show that the proper calculation of the gas heating by magnetic dynamo can build up the warm optically thick corona above the accretion disk around a black hole of stellar mass. Methods. Using the vertical model of the disk supported and heated by the magnetic field together with radiative transfer in hydrostatic and radiative equilibrium, we developed a relaxation numerical scheme that allowed us to compute the transition form the disk to corona in a self-consistent way. Results. We demonstrate here that the warm (up to 5 keV) optically thick (up to 10 τes) Compton-cooled corona can form as a result of magnetic heating. A warm corona like this is stronger in the case of the higher accretion rate and the greater magnetic field strength. The radial extent of the warm corona is limited by local thermal instability, which purely depends on radiative processes. The obtained coronal parameters are in agreement with those constrained from X-ray observations. Conclusions. A warm magnetically supported corona tends to appear in the inner disk regions. It may be responsible for soft X-ray excess seen in accreting sources. For lower accretion rates and weaker magnetic field parameters, thermal instability prevents a warm corona, giving rise to eventual clumpiness or ionized outflow.

We discuss a revision of accretion activity and kinematics of the enigmatic isolated UX Ori type star RZ Psc. Previously, RZ Psc was known to possess only spectroscopic signatures of outflow in the low-excitation lines of alkali metals. The archival high-resolution spectra reveal a short-lived episode of magnetospheric accretion in the system observed via inverse P Cyg profiles at the Hα and Ca II 8542 Å lines. The simultaneous presence of accretion and outflow signatures at Ca II 8542 Å is suggestive of an accretion-driven origin of the RZ Psc wind. We argue that RZ Psc experiences matter ejection via the magnetic propeller mechanism but variable accretion episodes allow it to sometimes move in the magnetospheric accretion regime. The presence of the weak accretion in the system is also supported by the radiation of the hot accretion spot on the stellar surface observed spectroscopically at the deep photometric minimum of the star. The Galactic motion of RZ Psc calculated with new Gaia DR2 astrometric data suggests possible membership in Cas-Tau OB association with an age of t = 20−5+3 Myr.

We report on \textit{NuSTAR} observations of the well-known wind-accreting X-ray pulsar \source\ during a strong spin-up episode that took place in January-March 2019. A high luminosity of the source in a most recent observation allowed us to detect a positive correlation of the cyclotron line energy with luminosity. Beyond that, only minor differences in spectral and temporal properties of the source during the spin-up, presumably associated with the formation of a transient accretion disk, and the normal wind-fed state could be detected. We finally discuss conditions for the formation of the disk and possible reasons for lack of any appreciable variations in most of the observed source properties induced by the change of the accretion mechanism, and conclude that the bulk of the observed X-ray emission is still likely powered by direct accretion from the wind., 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Context. Observations with modern instruments such as Herschel reveal that stars form clustered inside filamentary arms of ~1 pc length embedded in giant molecular clouds (GMCs). On smaller scales of ~1000 au, observations of IRAS 16293–2422, for example, show signs of filamentary “bridge” structures connecting young protostars to their birth environment. Aims. We aim to find the origin of bridges associated with deeply embedded protostars by characterizing their connection to the filamentary structure present on GMC scales and to the formation of protostellar multiples. Methods. Using the magnetohydrodynamical code RAMSES, we carried out zoom-in simulations of low-mass star formation starting from GMC scales. We analyzed the morphology and dynamics involved in the formation process of a triple system. Results. Colliding flows of gas in the filamentary arms induce the formation of two protostellar companions at distances of ~1000 au from the primary. After their birth, the stellar companions quickly approach, at Δt ~ 10 kyr, and orbit the primary on eccentric orbits with separations of ~100 au. The colliding flows induce transient structures lasting for up to a few 10 kyr that connect two forming protostellar objects that are kinematically quiescent along the line-of-sight. Conclusions. Colliding flows compress gas and trigger the formation of stellar companions via turbulent fragmentation. Our results suggest that protostellar companions initially form with a wide separation of ~1000 au. Smaller separations of a ≲ 100 au are a consequence of subsequent migration and capturing. Associated with the formation phase of the companion, the turbulent environment induces the formation of arc- and bridge-like structures. These bridges can become kinematically quiescent when the velocity components of the colliding flows eliminate each other. However, the gas in bridges still contributes to stellar accretion later. Our results demonstrate that bridge-like structures are a transient phenomenon of stellar multiple formation.

The correlation observed between monochromatic X-ray and UV luminosities in radiatively-efficient active galactic nuclei (AGN) lacks a clear theoretical explanation despite being used for many applications. Such a correlation, with its small intrinsic scatter and its slope that is smaller than unity in log space, represents the compelling evidence that a mechanism regulating the energetic interaction between the accretion disk and the X-ray corona must be in place. This ensures that going from fainter to brighter sources the coronal emission increases less than the disk emission. We discuss here a self-consistently coupled disk-corona model that can identify this regulating mechanism in terms of modified viscosity prescriptions in the accretion disk. The model predicts a lower fraction of accretion power dissipated in the corona for higher accretion states. We then present a quantitative observational test of the model using a reference sample of broad-line AGN and modeling the disk-corona emission for each source in the $L_X-L_{UV}$ plane. We used the slope, normalization, and scatter of the observed relation to constrain the parameters of the theoretical model. For non-spinning black holes and static coronae, we find that the accretion prescriptions that match the observed slope of the $L_X-L_{UV}$ relation produce X-rays that are too weak with respect to the normalization of the observed relation. Instead, considering moderately-outflowing Comptonizing coronae and/or a more realistic high-spinning black hole population significantly relax the tension between the strength of the observed and modeled X-ray emission, while also predicting very low intrinsic scatter in the $L_X-L_{UV}$ relation. In particular, this latter scenario traces a known selection effect of flux-limited samples that preferentially select high-spinning, hence brighter, sources., 17 pages, 15 figures. Accepted in A&A

The X-ray pulsar GRO J1744-28 is a unique source which shows both pulsations and type-II X-ray bursts, allowing studies of the interaction of the accretion disk with the magnetosphere at huge mass accretion rates exceeding $10^{19}$ g s$^{-1}$ during its super-Eddington outbursts. The magnetic field strength in the source, $B\approx 5\times 10^{11}$ G, is known from the cyclotron absorption feature discovered in the energy spectrum around 4.5 keV. Here, we explore the flux variability of the source in context of interaction of its magnetosphere with the radiation-pressure dominated accretion disk. Particularly, we present the results of the analysis of noise power density spectra (PDS) using the observations of the source in 1996-1997 by RXTE. Accreting compact objects commonly exhibit a broken power-law shape of the PDS with a break corresponding to the Keplerian orbital frequency of matter at the innermost disk radius. The observed frequency of the break can thus be used to estimate the size of the magnetosphere. We found, however, that the observed PDS of GRO J1744-28 differs dramatically from the canonical shape. Furthermore, the observed break frequency appears to be significantly higher than what is expected based on the magnetic field estimated from the cyclotron line energy. We argue that these observational facts can be attributed to the existence of the radiation-pressure dominated region in the accretion disk at luminosities above $\sim$2$\times 10^{37}$ erg s$^{-1}$. We discuss a qualitative model for the PDS formation in such disks, and show that its predictions are consistent with our observational findings. The presence of the radiation-pressure dominated region can also explain the observed weak luminosity-dependence of the inner radius, and we argue that the small inner radius can be explained by a quadrupole component dominating the magnetic field of the neutron star., Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, accepted by A&A

Transients XrB exhibit different spectral shapes during their evolution. In luminosity-color diagrams, their X-ray behavior forms unexplained q-shaped cycles. We proposed a framework where the innermost regions of the accretion disk evolve as a response to variations imposed in the outer regions. These variations lead not only to modifications of the inner disk accretion rate $\dot m_{in}$ but also to the evolution of the transition radius $r_J$ between two regions. The outermost region is a standard accretion disk (SAD), whereas the innermost region is a jet-emitting disk (JED) where all the disk angular momentum is carried away vertically by two self-confined jets. In the previous papers of this series, it has been shown that such a configuration reproduces the typical spectral properties of the five canonical XrB states. The aim of this paper is now to replicate all X-ray spectra and radio emission observed during GX 339-4 2010-2011 outburst. We use the 2T plasma code presented in papers II and III, and design an automatic fitting procedure that gives the parameters $(\dot m_{in},r_J)$ that best fit each X-ray spectrum. We use RXTE/PCA X-ray data spread over 438 days, together with radio observations at 9 GHz (ATCA). We obtain the time distributions of $\dot m_{in}$ and $r_J$ that uniquely reproduce the X-ray luminosity and the spectral shape of the whole cycle. Using the classical self-absorbed jet synchrotron emission model, the JED-SAD configuration reproduces also very satisfactorily the radio properties, in particular the switch-off and -on events and the radio-X-ray correlation. Within the JED-SAD framework, radio emission can be used to constrain the underlying disk configuration. If this result is confirmed using other outbursts from GX 339-4 or other X-ray binaries, then radio could be indeed used as another means to indirectly probe disk physics., Accepted for publication in A&A, 11 pages, 7 figures

An essential part of the paradigm describing active galactic nuclei is the alignment between the radio jet and the associated rotation axis of the sub-pc sized accretion disks. Because of the small linear and angular scales involved, this alignment has not yet been checked in a sufficient number of Low Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei (LLAGNs). The project intends to examine the validity of this paradigm by measuring the radio continuum on the same physical scale as the accretion disks, to investigate any possible connection between these disks and the radio continuum. We observed a sample of 18 LLAGNs in the 4.8 GHz (6 cm) radio continuum using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) with 3.3 to 6.5 milliarcseconds resolution. The sources were selected to show both an edge-on accretion disk revealed by 22 GHz H$_{2}$O megamaser emission and signatures of a radio jet. Furthermore, the sources were previously detected in 33GHz radio continuum observations made with the Very Large Array. Five out of 18 galaxies observed were detected at 8 sigma or higher levels (Mrk0001, Mrk1210, Mrk1419, NGC2273 and UGC3193). While all these sources are known to have maser disks, four of these five sources exhibit a maser disk with known orientation. For all four sources, the radio continuum is misaligned relative to the rotation axis of the maser disk, but with a 99.1% confidence level, the orientations are not random and are confined to a cone within 32 degree of the maser disk's normal. Among the four sources the misalignment of the radio continuum with respect to the normal vector to the maser disk is smaller when the inner radius of the maser disk is larger. Furthermore, a correlation is observed between the 5 GHz VLBA radio continuum and the [OIII] luminosity and also with the H$_{2}$O maser disk's inner radius., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Optically thin accretion plasmas can reach ion temperatures $T_{\rm i} \geq 10^{10}$K and thus trigger nuclear reactions. Using a large nuclear interactions network, we studied the radial evolution of the chemical composition of the accretion flow toward the black hole and computed the emissivity in nuclear $\gamma$-ray lines. In the advection dominated accretion flow (ADAF) regime, CNO and heavier nuclei are destroyed before reaching the last stable orbit. The overall luminosity in the de-excitation lines for a solar composition of plasma can be as high as few times $10^{-5}$ the accretion luminosity ($\dot{M}c^2$) and can be increased for heavier compositions up to $10^{-3}$. The efficiency of transformation of the kinetic energy of the outflow into high energy ($\geq 100$~MeV) $\gamma$-rays through the production and decay of $\pi^0$-mesons can be higher, up to $10^{-2}$ of the accretion luminosity. We show that in the ADAF model up to 15 percent of the mass of accretion matter can `evaporate' in the form of neutrons., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures

We investigate the launching process of jets from accretion disks by means of axisymmetric MHD simulations. Here, we present results of numerical MHD simulations investigating how magnetic diffusivity and numerical resolution may affect the ejection-to-accretion fraction and the asymptotic outflow structure.

It can be argued that all astrophysical jets, from lowly sub-stellar objects such as young brown dwarfs to massive black holes at the centre of AGN, are generated by the same basic physical mechanism. While the nature of that mechanism is still debated, jets from young stars may represent our best chance of deciphering it. There are several reasons for this statement. First of all they are nearby, thus affording us not only high spatial resolution studies of the “central engine” but also time-resolved analysis of their kinematics. Moreover as they radiate emission lines, spectroscopy can reveal radial velocities, temperature, density, ion fraction, etc., along their flow. This wealth of data is a challenge to the theorist/computational simulator but also a highly effective means of discriminating between models. In addition, the observations tightly constrain laboratory experiments. Here, I briefly review what is known about conditions in jets from young stars as a guide to experiments, their generation including their link with accretion disks, and their evolution from the earliest proto-stellar to pre-main sequence phase.

We present results of investigation of the poorly studied X-ray pulsar Swift J1816.7--1613 during its transition from the type I outburst to the quiescent state. Our studies are based on the data obtained from X-ray observatories \textit{Swift}, \textit{NuSTAR} and \textit{Chandra} alongside with the latest IR data from UKIDSS/GPS and \textit{Spitzer}/GLIMPSE surveys. The aim of the work is to determine parameters of the system: the strength of the neutron star magnetic field and the distance to the source, which are required for the interpretation of the source behaviour in the framework of physically motivated models. No cyclotron absorption line was detected in the broad-band energy spectrum. However, the timing analysis hints at the typical for the X-ray pulsars magnetic field from a few $\times 10^{11}$ to a few $\times 10^{12}$ G. We also estimated type of the IR-companion as a B0-2e star located at distance of 7--13~kpc., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

In the work we present the results of two deep broad-band observations of the poorly studied X-ray pulsar IGR J19294+1816 obtained with the NuSTAR observatory. The source was observed during Type I outburst and in the quiescent state. In the bright state a cyclotron absorption line in the energy spectrum was discovered at $E_{\rm cyc}=42.8\pm0.7$ keV. Spectral and timing analysis prove the ongoing accretion also during the quiescent state of the source. Based on the long-term flux evolution, particularly on the transition of the source to the bright quiescent state with luminosity around $10^{35}$ erg s$^{-1}$, we concluded that IGR J19294+1816 switched to the accretion from the "cold" accretion disc between Type I outbursts. We also report the updated orbital period of the system., Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication in A&A

Context. Statistical studies of the spectral signatures of jets and winds in young stars are crucial to characterize outflows and understand their impact on disk and stellar evolution. The young, open cluster NGC 2264 contains hundreds of well-characterized classical T Tauri stars (CTTS), being thus an ideal site for these statistical studies. Its slightly older age than star forming regions studied in previous works, such as Taurus, allows us to investigate outflows in a different phase of CTTS evolution. Aims. We search for correlations between the [OI]λ6300 line, a well-known tracer of jets and winds in young stars, and stellar, disk and accretion properties in NGC 2264, aiming to characterize the outflow phenomena that occur within the circumstellar environment of young stars. Methods. We analyzed FLAMES spectra of 184 stars, detecting the [OI]λ6300 line in 108 CTTSs and two Herbig AeBe stars. We identified the main features of this line: a high-velocity component (HVC), and a broad and narrow low-velocity components (BLVC and NLVC). We calculated luminosities and kinematic properties of these components, then compared them with known stellar and accretion parameters. Results. The luminosity of the [OI]λ6300 line and its components correlate positively with the stellar and accretion luminosity. The HVC is only detected among systems with optically thick inner disks; the BLVC is most common among thick disk systems and rarer among systems with anemic disks and transition disks; and the NLVC is detected among systems with all types of disks, including transition disks. Our BLVCs present blueshifts of up to 50 km s−1 and widths consistent with disk winds originating between ~0.05 and ~0.5 au from the central object, while the NLVCs in our sample have widths compatible with an origin between ~0.5 and ~5 au, in agreement with previous studies in Taurus. A comparison of [OI]λ6300 profiles with CoRoT light curves shows that the HVC is found most often among sources with irregular, aperiodic photometric variability, usually associated with CTTSs accreting in an unstable regime. No stellar properties (Teff, mass, rotation) appear to significantly influence any property of protosellar jets. We find jet velocities on average similar to those found in Taurus. Conclusions. We confirm earlier findings in Taurus which favor an inner MHD disk wind as the origin of the BLVC, while there is no conclusive evidence that the NLVC traces photoevaporative disk winds. The [OI]λ6300 line profile shows signs of evolving as the disk disperses, with the HVC and BLVC disappearing as the inner disk becomes optically thin, in support of the scenario of inside-out gas dissipation in the inner disk.

A sudden increase in the rate at which material reaches the most internal part of an accretion disk, i.e. the boundary layer, can change its structure dramatically. We have witnessed such change for the first time in the symbiotic recurrent nova T CrB. Our analysis of XMM-Newton, Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT)/ X-Ray Telescope (XRT) / UltraViolet Optical Telescope (UVOT) and American Association of Variable Stars Observers (AAVSO) V and B-band data indicates that during an optical brightening event that started in early 2014 ($\Delta$ V$\approx$1.5): (i) the hard X-ray emission as seen with BAT almost vanished; (ii) the XRT X-ray flux decreased significantly while the optical flux remained high; (iii) the UV flux increased by at least a factor of 40 over the quiescent value; and (iv) the X-ray spectrum became much softer and a bright, new, blackbody-like component appeared. We suggest that the optical brightening event, which could be a similar event to that observed about 8 years before the most recent thermonuclear outburst in 1946, is due to a disk instability, Comment: submitted to A&A

We present an alternative model of V2028 Cyg, a B[e] star of FS CMa type. The star V2028 Cyg is atypical among FS CMa stars due to its composite spectra of B4III and K2II-Ib type. Our modelling of the temporal variability of the Hα line bisectors indicates as the most probable model a geometrically and optically thick disc, which is surrounded by a dusty ring seen almost edge-on. This provides a possibility that the K-spectral component is formed in the disc.

Context. Transition disks (TDs) are circumstellar disks with inner regions highly depleted in dust. TDs are observed in a small fraction of disk-bearing objects at ages of 1-10 Myr. They are important laboratories to study evolutionary effects in disks, from photoevaporation to planet-disk interactions. Aims. We report the discovery of a large inner dust-empty region in the disk around the very low mass star CIDA 1 (M$_{\star} \sim 0.1-0.2$ M$_{\odot}$). Methods. We used ALMA continuum observations at 887$\mu$m, which provide a spatial resolution of $0."21\times0."12$ ($\sim$15$\times$8 au in radius at 140 pc). Results. The data show a dusty ring with a clear cavity of radius $\sim$20 au, the typical characteristic of a TD. The emission in the ring is well described by a narrow Gaussian profile. The dust mass in the disk is $\sim$17 M$_{\oplus}$. CIDA 1 is one of the lowest mass stars with a clearly detected millimeter cavity. When compared to objects of similar stellar mass, it has a relatively massive dusty disk (less than $\sim5$% of Taurus Class II disks in Taurus have a ratio of $M_{\rm{disk}}/M_{\star}$ larger than CIDA 1) and a very high mass accretion rate (CIDA 1 is a disk with one of the lowest values of $M_{\rm{disk}}/\dot M$ ever observed). In light of these unusual parameters, we discuss a number of possible mechanisms that can be responsible for the formation of the dust cavity (e.g., photoevaporation, dead zones, embedded planets, close binary). We find that an embedded planet of a Saturn mass or a close binary are the most likely possibilities., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, minor correction in one equation

Context. Black hole transients, as a class, exhibit during their outbursts a correlation between the time lag of hard photons with respect to softer ones and the photon index of the hard X-ray power law. The correlation is not very tight and therefore it is necessary to examine it source by source. Aims. The objective of the present work is to investigate in detail the correlation between the time lag and the photon index in GX 339-4, which is the best studied black hole transient. Methods. We have obtained RXTE energy spectra and light curves and have computed the photon index and the time lag of the 9–15 keV photons with respect to the 2–6 keV photons. The observations cover the first stages of the hard state, the pure hard state, and the hard-intermediate state. Results. We have found a tight correlation between time lag and photon index Γ in the hard and hard-intermediate states. At low Γ, the correlation is positive; it becomes negative at high Γ By assuming that the hard X-ray power-law index Γ is produced by inverse Compton scattering of soft disk photons in the jet, we have reproduced the entire correlation by varying two parameters in the jet: the radius of the jet at its base R0 and the Thomson optical depth along the jet τ∥. We have found that as the luminosity of the source increases, R0 initially increases and then decreases. This behavior is expected in the context of the Cosmic Battery. Conclusions. Our jet model nicely explains the correlation with reasonable values of the parameters R0 and τ∥ These parameters also correlate between themselves. As a further test of our model, we predict the break frequency in the radio spectrum as a function of the photon index during the rising part of an outburst.

Establishing the origin of short-lived radionuclides (SLRs) with half-lives ≤100 Myr has important implications for the astrophysical context of our Sun's birth place. We review here the different origins proposed for the variety of SLRs present in the solar accretion disk 4.57 Ga ago. Special emphasis is given to an enhanced Galactic background origin for 60Fe which was inherited from several supernovae belonging to previous episodes of star formation, rather than from a nearby, contemporaneous supernova.

The radiation from newly born stars photoevaporates their parental neutral cloud, leading to the formation of dense clumps that will eventually form stars. We present 3D simulations of the interaction of a neutral cloud with an external ionising radiation field, and compute the angular momenta of these collapsing clumps. The angular momenta of these collapsing clumps show that they have preferential orient mostly perpendicular to the direction of the incident ionising photon field. Therefore, the axes of the jet systems that will be eventually ejected (from the star + accretion disk systems that will form) will be oriented approximately perpendicular to the direction to the photoionising source., 6 pages, 7 figures, accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics

We construct a new family of analytic models of black hole accretion disks in dynamical equilibria. Our construction is based on assuming distributions of angular momentum and entropy. For a particular choice of the distribution of angular momentum, we calculate the shapes of equipressure surfaces. The equipressure surfaces we find are similar to those in thick, slim and thin disks, and to those in ADAFs., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

The photoevaporation of circumstellar disks is a powerful process in the disk dissipation at the origin of the Orion proplyds. This Letter reports the first detection of a photoevaporating disk in the final but long-lasting phase of its evolution. The disk is associated to a low-mass T Tauri member of the sigma Orionis Cluster. It is characterized by a very low (if any) accretion rate and by a tenuous (Mloss ~ 10^{-9} Msun/yr) photoevaporation wind, which is unambiguously detected in the optical spectrum of the object. The wind emits strong forbidden lines of [SII] and [NII] because the low-mass star is close to a powerful source of ionizing photons, the O9.5 star sigma Ori., Comment: Accepted by A&A; 4 pages, 2 figures

We present evidence for the existence of two ~35 day clocks in the Her X-1/HZ Her binary system. ~35 day modulations are observed 1) in the Turn-On cycles with two on- and two off-states, and 2) in the changing shape of the pulse profiles which re-appears regularly. The two ways of counting the 35 day cycles are generally in synchronization. This synchronization did apparently break down temporarily during the long Anomalous Low (AL3) which Her X-1 experienced in 1999/2000, in the sense that there must have been one extra Turn-On cycle. Our working hypothesis is that there are two clocks in the system, both with a period of about ~35 days: precession of the accretion disk (the less stable "Turn-On clock") and free precession of the neutron star (the more stable "Pulse profile clock"). We suggest that free precession of the neutron star is the master clock, and that the precession of the accretion disk is basically synchronized to that of the neutron star through a feed-back mechanism in the binary system. However, the Turn-On clock can slip against its master when the accretion disk has a very low inclination, as is observed to be the case during AL3. We take the apparent correlation between the histories of the Turn-Ons, of the Anomalous Lows and of the pulse period evolution, with a 5 yr quasi-periodicity, as evidence for strong physical interaction and feed-back between the major components in the system. We speculate that the 5 yr (10 yr) period is either due to a corresponding activity cycle of HZ Her or a natural ringing period of the physical system of coupled components. The question whether free precession really exists in neutron stars is of great importance for the understanding of matter with supra-nuclear density., 6 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication by A&A

Methanol masers are often found in linear distributions, and it has been hypothesized that these masers are tracing circumstellar accretion disks around young massive stars. However, recent observations in H2 emission have shown what appear to be outflows at similar angles to the maser distribution angles, not perpendicular as expected in the maser-disk scenario. The main motivation behind the observations presented here is to determine from the presence and morphology of an independent outflow tracer, namely SiO, if there are indeed outflows present in these regions and if they are consistent or inconsistent with the maser-disk hypothesis. For ten sources with H2 emission we obtained JCMT single dish SiO (6-5) observations to search for the presence of this outflow indicator. We followed up those observations with ATCA interferometric mapping of the SiO emission in the (2-1) line in six sources. The JCMT observations yielded a detection in the SiO (6-5) line in nine of the ten sources. All of the sources with bright SiO lines display broad line wings indicative of outflow. A subset of the sources observed with the JCMT have methanol maser velocities significantly offset from their parent cloud velocities, supporting the idea that the masers in these sources are likely not associated with circumstellar disks. The ATCA maps of the SiO emission show five of the six sources do indeed have SiO outflows. The spatial orientations of the outflows are not consistent with the methanol masers delineating disk orientations. Overall, the observations presented here seem to provide further evidence against the hypothesis that linearly distributed methanol masers generally trace the orientations of circumstellar disks around massive young stars., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; 36 pages, 8 figures; a version with higher quality figures can be found at http://www.jim-debuizer.net/research

NGC 1313 X-2 is one of the brightest ultraluminous X-ray sources in the sky, at both X-ray and optical wavelengths; therefore, quite a few studies of available ESO VLT and HST data have appeared in the literature. Here, we present our analysis of VLT/FORS1 and HST/ACS photometric data, confirming the identification of the B ~ 23 mag blue optical counterpart. We show that the system is part of a poor cluster with an age of 20 Myr, leading to an upper mass limit of some 12 M_sun for the mass donor. We attribute the different results with respect to earlier studies to the use of isochrones in the F435W and F555W HST/ACS photometric system that appear to be incompatible with the corresponding Johnson B and V isochrones. The counterpart exhibits significant photometric variability of about 0.2 mag amplitude, both between the two HST observations and during the one month of monitoring with the VLT. This includes variability within one night and suggests that the light is dominated by the accretion disk in the system and not by the mass donor., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

In this Letter we investigate the origin of the near-infrared emission of the Herbig Ae star MWC 758 on sub-astronomical unit (AU) scales using spectrally dispersed low resolution (R=35) AMBER/VLTI interferometric observations both in the H ($1.7 \mu$m) and K ($2.2 \mu$m) bands. We find that the K band visibilities and closure phases are consistent with the presence of a dusty disk inner rim located at the dust evaporation distance (0.4 AU) while the bulk of the H band emission arises within 0.1 AU from the central star. Comparing the observational results with theoretical model predictions, we suggest that the H band emission is dominated by an hot gaseous accretion disk., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

Accretion disks around young stars evolve in time with time scales of a few million years. We present here a study of the accretion properties of a sample of 35 stars in the ∼3 million-year-old star-forming region σ Ori. Of these, 31 are objects with evidence of disks, based on their IR excess emission. We use near-IR hydrogen recombination lines (Paγ) to measure their mass accretion rate. We find that the accretion rates are significant lower in σ Ori than in younger regions, such as ρ Oph, consistently with viscous disk evolution. The He I 1.083 µm line is detected (either in absorption or in emission) in 72% of the stars with disks, also providing evidence of accretion-powered activity in very low accretors, where other accretion indicators disappear.

Most of our knowledge on the nonlinear development of the magneto-rotational instability (MRI) relies on the results of numerical simulations employing the shearing box (SB) approximation. A number of difficulties arising from this approach have recently been pointed out in the literature. We thoroughly examine the effects of the assumptions made and numerical techniques employed in SB simulations. This is done in order to clarify and gain better understanding of those difficulties as well as of a number of additional serious problems, raised here for the first time, and of their impact on the results. Analytical derivations and estimates as well as comparative analysis to methods used in the numerical study of turbulence are used. Numerical experiments are performed to support some of our claims and conjectures. The following problems, arising from the (virtually exclusive) use of the SB simulations as a tool for the understanding and quantification of the nonlinear MRI development in disks, are analyzed and discussed: (i) inconsistencies in the application of the SB approximation itself; (ii) the limited spatial scale of the SB; (iii) the lack of convergence of most ideal MHD simulations; (iv) side-effects of the SB symmetry and the non-trivial nature of the linear MRI; (v) physical artifacts arising on the too small box scale due to periodic boundary conditions. The computational and theoretical challenge posed by the MHD turbulence problem in accretion disks cannot be met by the SB approximation, as it has been used to date. A new strategy to confront this challenge is proposed, based on techniques widely used in numerical studies of turbulent flows - developing (e.g., with the help of local numerical studies) a sub-grid turbulence model and implementing it in global calculations., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

12th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, NN2015, Catania, Italy, 21 Jun 2015 - 26 Jun 2015; The European physical journal / Web of Conferences 117, 07018 (2016). doi:10.1051/epjconf/201611707018, Published by EDP Sciences, Les Ulis

We explore the hardening of a massive black hole binary embedded in a circum-binary gas disc when the binary and the gas are coplanar and the gas is counter-rotating. The secondary black hole, revolving in the direction opposite to the gas, experiences a drag from gas-dynamical friction and from direct accretion of part of it. Using two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamical grid simulations we investigate the effect of changing the accretion prescriptions on the dynamics of the secondary black hole which in turn affect the binary hardening and eccentricity evolution. We find that realistic accretion prescriptions lead to results that differ from those inferred assuming accretion of all the gas within the Roche Lobe of the secondary black hole. Different accretion prescriptions result in different disc's surface densities which alter the black hole's dynamics back. Full 3D SPH realizations of a number of representative cases, run over a shorter interval of time, validate the general trends observed in the less computationally demanding 2D simulations. Initially circular black hole binaries increase only slightly their eccentricity which then oscillates around small values (, abridged. Accepted for publication A&A

Aims: The massive twin cores NGC6334I and I(N) are in different evolutionary stages and hence ideal targets to study evolutionary variations within the same larger-scale environment. Here, we study the warm, compact gas components. Methods: We imaged the two regions with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at high angular resolution in the NH3(3,3) to (6,6) inversion lines. Results: Compact emission is detected toward both regions in all observed inversion lines with energy levels up to 407K above ground. This is particularly surprising for NGC6334I(N) since it lacks bright infrared emission and is considered a massive cold core at an early evolutionary stage. High optical depth and multiply-peaked line profiles complicate rotation temperature estimates, and we can only conclude that gas components with temperatures >100K are present in both regions. Toward NGC6334I, we confirm previous reports of NH3(3,3) maser emission toward the outflow bow-shocks. Furthermore, we report the first detection of an NH3(6,6) maser toward the central region of NGC6334I. This maser is centered on the second millimeter (mm) peak and elongated along the outflow axis, indicating that this mm continuum core harbors the driving source of the molecular outflow. Toward the main mm peak in NGC6334I(N), we detect a double-horn line profile in the NH3(6,6) transition. The current data do not allow us to differentiate whether this double-horn profile is produced by multiple gas components along the line of sight, or whether it may trace a potential underlying massive accretion disk. The data to Figures 3 to 7 are also available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for Astronomy and Astrophysics, you can find a high resolution copy at http://www.mpia.de/homes/beuther/papers.html

New 2003-2006 time-resolved photometric observations of the old nova RW UMi (1956) confirm the QPO nature of the light modulations observed. The analysis of all our historical runs show that QPOs tend to cluster around frequencies 4.96 d -1 and 12.4 d -1 while the historical superhump period remains undetected in our data. Although the two main frequencies observed might appear to be aliases of the superhump frequency 17 d -1 , they should be produced by two independent mechanisms. These rather irregular QPOs might be explained by vertical oscillations of the inner regions of the accretion disk and/or by the cyclical generation in the disk of travelling density waves at the co-rotation radius of an inclined magnetic rotator. We find that the post-nova luminosity is decaying at a rate of ∼0.03 mag y -1 . If RW UMi is an intermediate polar system, during the decline the magnetospheric radius of the accreting white dwarf primary should increase and produce important changes in the periods of QPOs.

The role of star-formation driven outflows in the obscuration of the central source in the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) is discussed. The outflow from a sub-parsec scale accretion disc is numerically modelled for parameters appropriate to the Galactic Centre. The resulting obscuration pattern is very patchy, with some lines of sight becoming optically thick to Thomson scattering. A fixed observer would see column depth changing by factors of many over time scales of order months to hundreds of years, depending on the physical size of the outflow region. Such winds may be relevant for obscuration of some AGN and especially "changing look AGN". However, averaged over the sky as seen from the central source, these winds are always optically thin unless wind outflow rates are super-Eddington. A simple scaling argument shows that this is true not only for stellar-driven winds but for any AGN winds. We therefore conclude that AGN winds are unable to account for the vast majority of optically thick obscured AGN (a significant fraction of all AGN). We suggest that the most likely source of optically thick obscuration in AGN is a warped parsec scale accretion disc.

We present the results of a 73 ks long Chandra observation of the dipping source X 1624-490. During the observation a complex dip lasting 4 hours is observed. We analyse the persistent emission detecting, for the first time in the 1st-order spectra of X 1624-490, an absorption line associated to \ion{Ca}{xx}. We confirm the presence of the \ion{Fe}{xxv} K$_\alpha$ and \ion{Fe}{xxvi} K$_\alpha$ absorption lines with a larger accuracy with respect to a previous XMM observation. Assuming that the line widths are due to a bulk motion or a turbulence associated to the coronal activity, we estimate that the lines have been produced in a photoionized absorber between the coronal radius and the outer edge of the accretion disk., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted by A&A on 13/11/2006. Revised version with minor points corrected and reference added to the used data taken from the Chandra Public Archive (Obsid 4559)