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Leaving the ISCO: the inner edge of a black-hole accretion disk at various luminosities

Authors :
Abramowicz, Marek A.
Jaroszynski, Michal
Kato, Shoji
Lasota, Jean-Pierre
Rozanska, Agata
Sadowski, Aleksander
Publication Year :
2010

Abstract

The "radiation inner edge" of an accretion disk is defined as the inner boundary of the region from which most of the luminosity emerges. Similarly, the "reflection edge" is the smallest radius capable of producing a significant X-ray reflection of the fluorescent iron line. For black hole accretion disks with very sub-Eddington luminosities these and all other "inner edges" locate at ISCO. Thus, in this case, one may rightly consider ISCO as the unique inner edge of the black hole accretion disk. However, even for moderate luminosities, there is no such unique inner edge as differently defined edges locate at different places. Several of them are significantly closer to the black hole than ISCO. The differences grow with the increasing luminosity. For nearly Eddington luminosities, they are so huge that the notion of the inner edge losses all practical significance.<br />Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, submitted to A&A

Details

Database :
arXiv
Publication Type :
Report
Accession number :
edsarx.1003.3887
Document Type :
Working Paper
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201014467