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Accretion-induced variability links young stellar objects, white dwarfs, and black holes
Simone Scaringi1, Thomas J Maccarone2, Elmar Körding3
1Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestriche Physik, D-85748 Garching, Germany.
Accretion physics is universal across cosmic objects, from young stars to supermassive black holes. New observations reveal a consistent scaling relation, highlighting object size as a key factor in accretion processes.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Astrobiology
- Cosmology
Background:
- Supermassive black holes and stellar-mass black holes exhibit similar accretion engine characteristics.
- The universality of accretion physics across different celestial objects remains an open question.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the universality of accretion physics by examining accreting white dwarfs and young stellar objects.
- To determine if these systems follow the same scaling relations observed in black holes and active galactic nuclei.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing observational data from Kepler/K2 and ULTRACAM.
- Analyzing the root-mean-square (rms)-flux relation for variability in accreting systems.
Main Results:
- All observed objects, including white dwarfs and young stellar objects, exhibit a linear rms-flux relation.
- These objects follow the same quantitative scaling relation as stellar-mass and supermassive black holes.
- The physical size of the accreting object is identified as the primary parameter in this scaling relation.
Conclusions:
- Accretion physics is fundamentally universal, applying consistently from young stellar objects to supermassive black holes.
- The observed scaling relation provides strong evidence for unified accretion processes across diverse astrophysical systems.
- Object size is a critical determinant of accretion behavior, unifying disparate astronomical phenomena.
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