Temporal Evolution of Quasiperiodic Oscillations in an Accreting Black Hole Swift J1727.8-1613: Coevolution of the Disk–Corona during the State Transition

Abstract Low-frequency quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) are commonly observed in black hole X-ray binaries, and their frequency has been found to correlate with various spectral properties. In this work, we present a detailed timing analysis of Swift J1727.8-1613, revealing a novel two-branch correlation between the QPO frequency and the observed disk emission, which differs from previous findings of a single correlation. Specifically, at QPO frequencies below 3 Hz, the QPO frequency is negatively correlated with the observed disk emission. This negative relation transitions to a positive one, as the QPO frequency exceeds approximately 3 Hz. The correlation between QPO frequency and Compton flux exhibits an opposite trend, with a positive correlation at lower frequencies and a negative correlation at higher ones. We interpret these behaviors as signatures of an evolving disk–corona geometry, within the framework of a Lense–Thirring precessing hot flow. Additionally, we find that during the flare state, the QPO fractional rms remains nearly constant above 15 keV, but increases with energy below this threshold. The slope of the rms–energy relation increases as the energy spectrum softens.