X-ray transients in quiescence

Abstract

Transient X-ray binaries remain in their quiescent state for a long time (months to hundred years) and then bright up as the most powerful sources of the X-ray sky. While it is clear that, when in outbursts, transient binaries are powered by accretion, the origin of the low luminosity X-ray emission that has been detected in the quiescent state has different interpretations and provides the unique opportunity for testing different accretion regimes. In this paper we concentrate on the various aspects of the accretion physics at low rates onto compact objects. We describe the observational panorama of quiescent emission for the three classes of X-ray transients and try to interpret these data in light of the different regimes accessible at such low mass inflow rates.