The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes

Details The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes

2006-05-16

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0605390v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

15 pages, 2 color figures, accepted for publication in Nature. Supplemental materials may be obtained by clicking http://www

Scientific paper

10.1038/nature04912

Although disk accretion onto compact objects - white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes - is central to much of high energy astrophysics, the mechanisms which enable this process have remained observationally elusive. Accretion disks must transfer angular momentum for matter to travel radially inward onto the compact object. Internal viscosity from magnetic processes and disk winds can in principle both transfer angular momentum, but hitherto we lacked evidence that either occurs. Here we report that an X-ray-absorbing wind discovered in an observation of the stellar-mass black hole binary GRO J1655-40 must be powered by a magnetic process that can also drive accretion through the disk. Detailed spectral analysis and modeling of the wind shows that it can only be powered by pressure generated by magnetic viscosity internal to the disk or magnetocentrifugal forces. This result demonstrates that disk accretion onto black holes is a fundamentally magnetic process.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-276536