Multi-Wavelength Variability. Accretion and Ejection at the Fastest Timescales

TL;DR

This paper reviews how multiwavelength variability and spectral-timing analysis reveal the causal relationships between accretion and ejection processes in black holes across different mass scales, highlighting recent observational advances and future prospects.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of observational findings on multiwavelength variability in accreting black holes, emphasizing the role of spectral-timing techniques in understanding accretion and jet dynamics.

Findings

Evidence for correlated variability between accretion disc and jets.

Probing black hole behavior across mass scales using fast-timing data.

Implications for models of accretion and ejection processes.

Abstract

Multiwavelength variability data, combined with spectral-timing analysis techniques, provides information about the causal relationship between different physical components in accreting black holes. Using fast-timing data and long-term monitoring, we can probe the behaviour of the same components across the black hole mass scale. In this chapter we review the observational status of multiwavelength variability in accreting black holes, from black hole X-ray binaries to AGN, and consider the implications for models of accretion and ejection, primarily considering the evidence for accretion disc and jet variability in these systems. We end with a consideration of future prospects in this quickly-developing field.