Variability of black-hole accretion discs: a theoretical study

Abstract

This thesis investigates phenomena occurring in black-hole accretion discs which are likely to induce high-frequency quasi-periodic variability. Two classes of pseudo-relativistic theoretical models are studied. The first is based on the stability of transonic accretion flows and its connection to a disc instability that takes the form of propagating waves (viscous overstability). The second class of models looks at accretion-disc oscillations which are trapped due to the non-monotonic variation of the epicyclic frequency in relativistic flows. In particular, it focuses on inertial waves trapped below the maximum of the epicyclic frequency which are excited in deformed, warped or eccentric, discs. The influence of a transonic background on the propagation of these inertial modes is also investigated.