Modeling an accretion disc stochastical variability

TL;DR

This paper models the short-term variability of active galactic nuclei using stochastic processes to simulate hot spots on accretion discs, incorporating relativistic effects and spot interactions to reproduce observed power spectral features.

Contribution

It introduces a novel stochastic modeling approach for accretion disc variability, including relativistic effects and spot interactions, with a semi-analytical method for power spectral density approximation.

Findings

Reproduces key features of observed power spectra.

Shows relativistic effects influence variability patterns.

Demonstrates spot interactions affect low-frequency power.

Abstract

Hot spots residing on the surface of an accretion disc have been considered as a model of short-term variability of active galactic nuclei. In this paper we apply the theory of random point processes to model the observed signal from an ensemble of randomly generated spots. The influence of general relativistic effects near a black hole is taken into account and it is shown that typical features of power spectral density can be reproduced. Connection among spots is also discussed in terms of Hawkes' process, which produces more power at low frequencies. We derive a semi-analytical way to approximate the resulting power-spectral density.