A possible link between kHz quasi-periodic oscillations and the magnetospheric boundary

Abstract

The quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed with a 200-1300 Hz frequency range in the X-ray power spectra of low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) might be considered as one of the observational clues to the physics at the innermost regions of accretion disks around neutron stars. In a neutron star LMXB, the magnetospheric boundary is likely to be close to the surface of the neutron star because of its presumably weak magnetic dipole field. The kHz QPOs can therefore be interpreted as the modulation of X-ray emission with smallest timescales associated with the dynamics of accreting disk matter at the magnetospheric boundary. As a result of magnetosphere-disk interaction we expect the rotational dynamics of the disk matter in the boundary region to be characterized by either sub-Keplerian or super-Keplerian flow depending on the fastness of the neutron star. We summarize our current understanding of the kHz QPO frequency correlations in terms of the oscillatory modes amplified in the magnetic boundary region and discuss the future prospects related to the possible link between kHz QPOs and the rotational dynamics at the magnetospheric boundary.