2006/07/17 by Wenxin Chen, Wen-Xin Chen, Andrei M. Beloborodov · 15 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Accretion (finance) #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Black hole (networking) #Electron neutrino #Galaxy #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Neutrino #Neutrino oscillation #Neutron star #Nuclear physics #Opacity #Physics #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #RADIUS #Thin disk #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/508923
published as Astrophys.J.657:383-399,2007 · 35 pages, 18 figures, accepted to ApJ
arxiv created 2006/07/17 · openalex publication_date 2007/03/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We calculate the structure of accretion disks around Kerr black holes for accretion rates = 0.001-10 M ☉ s -1 . Such high- disks are plausible candidates for the central engine of gamma-ray bursts. Our disk model is fully relativistic and accurately treats the microphysics of the accreting matter: neutrino emissivity, opacity, electron degeneracy, and nuclear composition. The neutrino-cooled disk forms above a critical accretion rate ign that depends on the black hole spin. The disk has an "ignition" radius r ign where neutrino flux rises dramatically, cooling becomes efficient, and the proton-to-nucleon ratio Y e drops. Other characteristic radii are r α , where most of α-particles are disintegrated, r ν , where the disk becomes ν-opaque, and r tr , where neutrinos get trapped and advected into the black hole. We find r α , r ign , r ν , and r tr and show their dependence on . We discuss the qualitative picture of accretion and present sample numerical models of the disk structure. All neutrino-cooled disks regulate themselves to a characteristic state such that: (1) electrons are mildly degenerate, (2) Y e ~ 0.1, and (3) neutrons dominate the pressure in the disk.