AI 中文总结
本研究以GSN 069为例，通过两种互补诊断方法探测超大质量黑洞双星，未发现其存在的证据，为约束邻近星系核中隐藏的超大质量黑洞伴星提供了互补途径。
AI 中文摘要
准周期喷发（QPEs）是来自星系核的周期性软X射线耀斑，为探测围绕超大质量黑洞（SMBHs）运行的恒星质量天体（SMOs）提供了新的时域探针。在与吸积盘相互作用的极端质量比旋进（EMRI）系统中，当SMOs多次穿过吸积盘时会产生QPE，因此喷发时间可追踪EMRI的轨道运动。我们研究这类计时信息是否可用于探测更遥远的SMBH伴星，开发了两种互补诊断方法：（1）EMRI宿主SMBH绕超大质量黑洞双星（SMBHB）质心的运动，会在观测到的QPE到达时间中引发光行时调制，具体表现为偶次与奇次喷发到达时间的同相位调制；（2）若QPE源包含存活的恒星轨道体，外部SMBH不能通过von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai（ZLK）机制的离心率激发，将SMO引致潮汐瓦解。以GSN 069为例，我们发现QPE计时中不存在同相位调制（即无SMBHB存在的证据），并限定了伴星SMBH的被排除参数空间。这些结果表明，QPE计时与恒星存活情况为约束邻近星系核中原本隐藏的SMBH伴星提供了互补途径。
英文摘要
Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are recurrent soft X-ray flares from galactic nuclei and provide a new time-domain probe of stellar-mass objects (SMOs) orbiting supermassive black holes (SMBHs). In an extreme-mass-ratio inspiral (EMRI) system interacting with an accretion disk, QPEs are produced when the SMO repeatedly crosses an accretion disk, so that the eruption times trace the orbital motion of the EMRI. We investigate whether such timing information can be used to probe a more distant SMBH companion. We develop two complementary diagnostics: (1) the motion of the EMRI host SMBH around the SMBH-binary (SMBHB) center of mass induces a light-travel-time modulation in the observed QPE arrival times, specifically an \emph{in-phase} modulation in arrival times of even and odd eruptions; (2) if the QPE source contains a surviving stellar orbiter, the external SMBH must not drive the SMO into tidal disruption through eccentricity excitation by the von Zeipel--Lidov--Kozai (ZLK) mechanism. Using GSN 069 as an example, we find \emph{no} in-phase modulation in the QPE timing (i.e., no evidence for a SMBHB) and constrain the excluded parameter space of the companion SMBH. These results demonstrate that QPE timing and stellar survival offer complementary routes for constraining otherwise hidden SMBH companions in nearby galactic nuclei.
Comments11 pages, 5 figures
