Ruican Ma, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, UK — May 4, 2026

Black hole X-ray binaries provide an excellent laboratory for studying accretion and jet physics around compact objects. Their X-ray spectra and rapid variability probe the innermost accretion flow and the evolution of accretion geometry.
In this talk, I will discuss how X-ray spectral and timing analysis can be used to study accretion geometry and quasi-periodic oscillations in black hole X-ray binaries, with recent results from Insight-HXMT observations of bright transients. I will also introduce recent discoveries from the Einstein Probe satellite and discuss what they reveal about the growing population of fast X-ray transients. Together, these observations provide new insights into accretion, jets, and transient phenomena around compact objects.