Accretion disks and coronae in the X-ray flashlight

TL;DR

This paper reviews how Type-I X-ray bursts from neutron stars influence surrounding accretion disks and coronae, highlighting observational evidence and future research prospects with upcoming X-ray missions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of the impact of X-ray bursts on accretion structures and discusses future observational strategies with new X-ray missions.

Findings

Type-I X-ray bursts affect accretion disks and coronae.

Observational evidence supports the impact of bursts on accretion flow.

Future missions will enhance understanding of burst-accretion interactions.

Abstract

Plasma accreted onto the surface of a neutron star can ignite due to unstable thermonuclear burning and produce a bright flash of X-ray emission called a Type-I X-ray burst. Such events are very common; thousands have been observed to date from over a hundred accreting neutron stars. The intense, often Eddington-limited, radiation generated in these thermonuclear explosions can have a discernible effect on the surrounding accretion flow that consists of an accretion disk and a hot electron corona. Type-I X-ray bursts can therefore serve as direct, repeating probes of the internal dynamics of the accretion process. In this work we review and interpret the observational evidence for the impact that Type-I X-ray bursts have on accretion disks and coronae. We also provide an outlook of how to make further progress in this research field with prospective experiments and analysis techniques, and by exploiting the technical capabilities of the new and concept X-ray missions ASTROSAT, NICER, HXMT, eXTP, and STROBE-X.