X-ray heating of the photosphere of an accretion disk is a possible mechanism
to produce strong, broad UV emission lines in low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs).
However, detailed photoionization calculations show that this mechanism fails
to produce sufficient emission measure. We present the results of
hydrodynamical calculations of the disk photosphere irradiated by strong
X-rays. We attempt to determine whether LMXBs can harbor significant UV-driven
disk winds despite the effects of X-ray ionization. Such winds would be a
likely candidate for the site of emission of UV lines and may better explain
the observations than the X-ray heated disk photosphere. We find that the local
disk radiation cannot launch a wind from the disk because of strong ionizing
radiation from the central object. Unphysically high X-ray opacities would be
required to shield the UV emitting disk and allow the line force to drive a
disk wind. However the same X-ray radiation that inhibits line driving heats
the disk and can produce a hot bipolar wind or corona above the disk. To assess
the impact of X-ray heating upon driving of a disk wind by the line force in
any system with an accretion disk we derive analytic formulae. In particular,
we compare results of line-driven disk wind models for accretion disks in LMXBs
and active galactic nuclei. The latter show spectral features associated with a
strong and fast disk wind. The key parameter determining the role of the line
force is not merely the presence of the luminous UV zone in the disk and the
presence of the X-rays, but also the distance of this UV zone from the center.Comment: LaTeX, 34 pages, contains color figures, to appear in Ap