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Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy
Implications Of Gamma-Ray Transparency Constraints In Blazars: Minimum Distances And Gamma-Ray Collimation, P. A. Becker, Menas Kafatos
Implications Of Gamma-Ray Transparency Constraints In Blazars: Minimum Distances And Gamma-Ray Collimation, P. A. Becker, Menas Kafatos
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
We develop a general expression for the γ-γ absorption coefficient, αγγ, for γ-rays propagating in an arbitrary direction at an arbitrary point in space above an X-ray-emitting accretion disk. The X-ray intensity is assumed to vary as a power law in energy and radius between the outer disk radius, R0 , and the inner radius, Rm., which is the radius of marginal stability for a Schwarzschild black hole. We use our result for αγγ to calculate the γ-γ optical depth, Tγγ, for γ-rays created at height z and propagating at angle Φ relative to the disk axis, and we show …
Transonic Inviscid Disc Flows In The Schwarzschild Metric – I, Menas Kafatos, Ruixin Yang
Transonic Inviscid Disc Flows In The Schwarzschild Metric – I, Menas Kafatos, Ruixin Yang
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
The coupled hydrodynamic equations governing equatorial flows applicable to inviscid disc accretion in the Schwarzschild metric are solved analytically and numerically. Here, we concentrate on the transonic solutions, that represent physically allowed accretion on to black holes. A polytropic equation linking gas pressure and density is assumed, and solutions are obtained for different conditions, such as isothermal and adiabatic gas flows. The dependence of those solutions on the angular momentum is explored. Under certain conditions, when there exist multiple possible sonic points, the numerical simulation automatically zeros in to the unique transonic solution passing through one of the sonic points.