The widely used Novikov-Thorne relativistic thin disc equations are only valid down to the radius of innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). This leads an undetermined boundary condition at ISCO, known as inner stress disc, which sets luminosity ISCO and introduces considerable ambiguity in accurately determining mass, spin accretion rate black holes from observed spectra. We resolve this by se...

We present a new picture for the central regions of Black Hole X-ray Binaries. In our view, these central regions have a multi-flow configuration which consists in (1) an outer standard accretion disc down to a transition radius rJ , (2) an inner magnetized accretion disc below rJ driving (3) a non relativistic self-collimated electronproton jet surrounding, when adequate conditions for pair cr...

The X-ray spectra of accreting stellar-mass black hole systems exhibit spectral features due to reflection, especially broad iron Kα emission lines. We investigate the reflection by the accretion disc that can be expected in the high/soft state of such a system. First, we perform a self-consistent calculation of the reflection that results from illumination of a hot, inner portion of the disc w...

We report the results of spectral and temporal variability studies of the ultraluminous Xray sources (ULXs) contained within the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 4485/4490, combining Chandra and XMM-Newton observations. Each of the four separate observations provide at least modest quality spectra and light curves for each of the six previously identified ULXs in this system; we also note the p...

We consider long-slit emission-line spectra of galactic nuclei when the slit is wider than the instrumental PSF, and the target has large velocity gradients. The finite width of the slit generates complex distributions of brightness at a given spatial point in the measured spectrum, which can be misinterpreted as coming from additional physically distinct nuclear components. We illustrate this ...

We present measurements of the dimensionless spin parameters and inner-disc inclination of two stellar-mass black holes. The spin parameter of SWIFT J1753.5−0127 and GRO J1655−40 is estimated by modelling the strong reflection signatures present in their XMM– Newton observations. Using a newly developed, self-consistent reflection model which includes the blackbody radiation of the disc as well...

In this paper we present a fully relativistic approach to modelling both the continuum emission and the reflected fluorescent iron line from a primary X-ray source near a Kerr black hole. The X-ray source is located above an accretion disc orbiting around the black hole. The source is assumed to be a static point source located on an arbitrary position above the disc, on or off the axis of rota...

Context. Observations of X-Ray sources harbouring a black hole and an accretion disc show the presence of at least two spectral components. One component is black-body radiation from an optically thick standard accretion disc. The other is produced in a optically thin corona and usually shows a powerlaw behaviour. Electron-proton (ep) bremsstrahlung is one of the contributing radiation mechanis...

Open lichen woodlands (LWs) are degraded stands that lack the ability to regenerate naturally due to a succession of natural and/or anthropogenic disturbances. As they represent both interesting forest restoration and carbon sequestration opportunities, we tested disc scarification and planting of two sizes of containerized black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. (BSP)) seedlings for their afforestat...

— I review recent progresses in the dynamics and the evolution of self-gravitating accretion discs. Accretion discs are a fundamental component of several astrophysical systems on very diverse scales, and can be found around supermassive black holes in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), and also in our Galaxy around stellar mass compact objects and around young stars. Notwithstanding the specific di...