Abstract
Low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) with either a black hole or a neutron star show power spectra characterized by several enhanced fractions of power at given frequencies, such as quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). Twin-peak high-frequency QPOs (HF QPOs) are typical of the orbital motion time-scale for matter orbiting within 10 r_{g} from the compact object (r_{g}=GM/c^{2} is the gravitational radius of the compact object). Thus, such modulations could arise from the energy released by accreting clumps of matter interacting with the strong gravitational field of the compact object. Twin-peak HF QPOs are characterized by their central frequency ν, root mean square amplitude (rms) and coherence Q=νΔν, where Δν is the width of the peak. Here we investigate on the characteristic behavior of the rms observed in several LMXBs. We highlight the work done by the strong tidal force as root source of the energy (rms) released by a QPO. By means of the Schwarzschild potential we estimate the maximum allowed radius of clumps of matter that can survive to tides in the inner part of the accretion disk. It turns to be R∼ 40 m for matter in an accretion disk around a 2 M_{odot} neutron star and R∼ 150 m for matter around a 10 M_{odot } black hole. The work loaded by tides on the clump of matter depends on the Schwarzschild potential shape for the given orbit. We highlight that for orbits approaching to the inner most stable circular orbit (ISCO) the changing Schwarzschild potential shape may account for the observed behavior of the energy (rms) carried by the twin-peak HF QPOs.
