Three-Dimensional Simulations of Magnetized Thin Accretion Disks around Black Holes: Stress in the Plunging Region

Aug, 2008
4 pages
Published in:
  • Astrophys.J.Lett. 687 (2008) L25
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Abstract: (arXiv)
We describe three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of a geometrically thin accretion disk around a non-spinning black hole. The disk has a thickness h/r0.050.1h/r\sim0.05-0.1 over the radius range (220)GM/c2(2-20)GM/c^2. In steady state, the specific angular momentum profile of the inflowing magnetized gas deviates by less than 2% from that of the standard thin disk model of Novikov & Thorne (1973). In addition, although the magnetic torque at the radius of the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) does not vanish, it is only 2\sim2% of the inward flux of angular momentum at this radius. Both results indicate that magnetic coupling across the ISCO is relatively unimportant for geometrically thin disks around non-spinning black holes.