Related papers: Lecture notes on accretion disk physics
These lectures provide an overview of the theory of accretion disks with application to bright sources containing black holes. I focus on the fundamental physics of these flows, stressing modern developments and outstanding questions…
In low-mass disks, turbulent torques are probably the most important way of redistributing angular momentum. Here we present the theory of turbulent accretion disks. We show the molecular viscosity is far too small to account for the…
The radial transport of angular momentum in accretion disk is a fundamental process in the universe. It governs the dynamical evolution of accretion disks and has implications for various issues ranging from the formation of planets to the…
I present the elements of accretion-disc physics applied to active galactic nuclei. The accretion driving mechanisms are discussed, then models of geometrically-thin discs, both stationary and time-dependent, are addressed. Disc's…
In this lecture the basic theory of accretion disks is reviewed, with emphasis on aspects relevant for X-ray binaries and Cataclysmic Variables. The text gives a general introduction as well as a selective discussion of a number of more…
Understanding the mechanism that drives accretion has been the primary challenge in accretion disk theory. Turbulence provides a natural means of dissipation and the removal of angular momentum, but firmly establishing its presence in disks…
In this lecture the basic theory of accretion disks is introduced, with emphasis on aspects relevant for X-ray binaries and Cataclysmic Variables.
We describe the most general nature of accretion and wind flows around a compact object and emphasize on the properties which are special to black hole accretion. The angular momentum distribution in the most general solution is far from…
(Abridged) We study the dynamical evolution of a stationary, axisymmetric, and perfectly conducting cold accretion disk containing a large-scale magnetic field around a Kerr black hole, trying to understand the relation between accretion…
This review introduces physical processes in protoplanetary disks relevant to accretion and the initial stages of planet formation. After a brief overview of the observational context, I introduce the elementary theory of disk structure and…
In young circumstellar disks, accretion--the inspiral of disk material onto the central star--is important for both the buildup of stellar masses and the outcome of planet formation. Although the existence of accretion is well documented,…
We describe astrophysical processes around a black hole keeping primarily the physics of accretion in mind. In Section 1, we briefly discuss the formation, evolution and detection of black holes. We also discuss the difference of flow…
The derivation of the viscosity formula of accretion disks appearing in a number of textbooks is based on a mean free path theory of gas particles. However, this procedure, when followed precisely, leads to the incorrect conclusion that the…
We briefly review recent developments in black hole accretion disk theory, placing new emphasis on the vital role played by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stresses in transporting angular momentum. The apparent universality of accretion-related…
Early in the study of viscous accretion disks it was realized that energy transfers from distant sources must be important, not least because the flow at the disk midplane in the bulk of the disk is likely outwards, out of the gravitational…
Standard accretion disk theory is formulated which is based on the local heat balance. The energy produced by a turbulent viscous heating is supposed to be emitted to the sides of the disc. Sources of turbulence in the accretion disc are…
Spiral density waves are known to exist in many astrophysical disks, potentially affecting disk structure and evolution. We conduct a numerical study of the effects produced by a density wave, evolving into a shock, on the characteristics…
Accretion disks are observed in young stars, cataclysmic variables, binary X-ray sources et al. Accretion disk theory was first developed as a theory with the local heat balance, where the whole energy produced by a viscous heating was…
Accretion onto supermassive black holes produces both the dramatic phenomena associated with active galactic nuclei and the underwhelming displays seen in the Galactic Center and most other nearby galaxies. I review selected aspects of the…
In this chapter, I present a summary of observational tests of the basic picture of disk accretion. An emphasis is placed on tests relevant to black holes, but many of the fundamental results are drawn from studies of other classes of…