English

A model for the jet-disk connection in BH accreting systems

Astrophysics 2009-11-07 v4

Abstract

Based on theoretical arguments and quasi-stationary radiative MHD calculations, a model for an accretion-powered jet is presented. It is argued that accretion disks around BHs consist of 1) a cold, Keplerian-rotating and weakly magnetized mediumin the outer part, 2) a highly advective and turbulent-free plasma inside r\mmtr=1020r_\mm{tr}=10-20 Schwarzschild radii, where magnetic fields are predominantly of large scale topology and in excess of thermal equipartition, and 3) an ion-dominated torus in the vicinity of the hole, where magnetic fields undergo a topological change into a monopole like-configuration. The action of magnetic fields interior to r\mmtrr_\mm{tr} is to initiate torsional {\Alfven} waves that extract angular momentum from the disk-plasma and deposit it into the transition layer (-TL) above the disk, where the plasma is dissipative and tenuous. A significant fraction of the shear-generated toroidal magnetic field reconnects in the TL, thereby heating the plasma up to the virial-temperature and forming a super-Keplerian rotating, and hence centrifugally accelerated outflow. The strong magnetic field in the TL forces the electrons to cool rapidly yielding thereby an ion-dominated outflow. The toroidal magnetic field in the TL is in thermal equipartition with the ions, whereas the poloidal component is in equipartition with the electrons. Such a strong toroidal magnetic field is essential for increasing the jet-disk luminosity in the radio regime.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0304085,
  title  = {A model for the jet-disk connection in BH accreting systems},
  author = {A. Hujeirat and M. Livio and M. Camenzind and A. Burkert},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0304085},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

27 pages, 10 figures

R2 v1 2026-07-22T08:22:27.512Z