Accretion power in astrophysics /
Accretion Power in Astrophysics examines accretion as a source of energy in both binary star systems containing compact objects, and in active galactic nuclei. Assuming a basic knowledge of physics, the authors describe the physical processes at work in accretion discs and other accretion flows. The...
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Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Electronic eBook |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge :
Cambridge University Press,
2002.
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Edition: | Third edition. |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | CONNECT |
Table of Contents:
- 1 Accretion as a Source of Energy 1
- 1.2 The Eddington limit 2
- 1.3 The emitted spectrum 5
- 1.4 Accretion theory and observation 6
- 2 Gas Dynamics 8
- 2.2 The equations of gas dynamics 8
- 2.3 Steady adiabatic flows; isothermal flows 11
- 2.4 Sound waves 12
- 2.5 Steady, spherically symmetric accretion 14
- 3 Plasma Concepts 23
- 3.2 Charge neutrality, plasma oscillations and the Debye length 23
- 3.3 Collisions 26
- 3.4 Thermal plasmas: relaxation time and mean free path 30
- 3.5 The stopping of fast particles by a plasma 32
- 3.6 Transport phenomena: viscosity 34
- 3.7 The effect of strong magnetic fields 37
- 3.8 Shock waves in plasmas 41
- 4 Accretion in Binary Systems 48
- 4.2 Interacting binary systems 48
- 4.3 Roche lobe overflow 49
- 4.4 Roche geometry and binary evolution 54
- 4.5 Disc formation 58
- 4.6 Viscous torques 63
- 4.7 The magnitude of viscosity 69
- 4.8 Beyond the [alpha]-prescription 71
- 4.9 Accretion in close binaries: other possibilities 73
- 5 Accretion Discs 80
- 5.2 Radial disc structure 80
- 5.3 Steady thin discs 84
- 5.4 The local structure of thin discs 88
- 5.5 The emitted spectrum 90
- 5.6 The structure of steady [alpha]-discs (the 'standard model') 93
- 5.7 Steady discs: confrontation with observation 98
- 5.8 Time dependence and stability 110
- 5.9 Dwarf novae 121
- 5.10 Irradiated discs 129
- 5.11 Tides, resonances and superhumps 139
- 5.12 Discs around young stars 148
- 5.13 Spiral shocks 150
- 6 Accretion on to a Compact Object 152
- 6.2 Boundary layers 152
- 6.3 Accretion on to magnetized neutron stars and white dwarfs 158
- 6.4 Accretion columns: the white dwarf case 174
- 6.5 Accretion column structure for neutron stars 191
- 6.6 X-ray bursters 202
- 6.7 Black holes 207
- 6.8 Accreting binary systems with compact components 209
- 7 Active Galactic Nuclei 213
- 7.1 Observations 213
- 7.2 The distances of active galaxies 220
- 7.3 The sizes of active galactic nuclei 223
- 7.4 The mass of the central source 225
- 7.5 Models of active galactic nuclei 228
- 7.6 The gas supply 230
- 7.7 Black holes 234
- 7.8 Accretion efficiency 238
- 8 Accretion Discs in Active Galactic Nuclei 244
- 8.1 The nature of the problem 244
- 8.2 Radio, millimetre and infrared emission 246
- 8.3 Optical, UV and X-ray emission 247
- 8.4 The broad and narrow, permitted and forbidden 250
- 8.5 The narrow line region 252
- 8.6 The broad line region 255
- 8.7 The stability of AGN discs 265
- 9 Accretion Power in Active Galactic Nuclei 267
- 9.2 Extended radio sources 267
- 9.3 Compact radio sources 272
- 9.4 The nuclear continuum 278
- 9.5 Applications to discs 281
- 9.6 Magnetic fields 285
- 9.7 Newtonian electrodynamic discs 287
- 9.8 The Blandford
- Znajek model 289
- 9.9 Circuit analysis of black hole power 292
- 10 Thick Discs 296
- 10.2 Equilibrium figures 298
- 10.3 The limiting luminosity 303
- 10.4 Newtonian vorticity-free torus 306
- 10.5 Thick accretion discs 309
- 10.6 Dynamical stability 314
- 10.7 Astrophysical implications 316
- 11 Accretion Flows 319
- 11.2 The equations 320
- 11.3 Vertically integrated equations
- slim discs 323
- 11.4 A unified description of steady accretion flows 325
- 11.5 Stability 331
- 11.6 Optically thin ADAFs
- similarity solutions 333
- 11.7 Astrophysical applications 334
- 11.8 Caveats and alternatives 337
- Appendix Radiation processes 345.