Magnetohydrodynamic simulations of black hole accretion

Abstract

We discuss the results of three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations, using a pseudo-Newtonian potential, of thin disk (h/r ~ 0.1) accretion onto black holes. We find (i) that magnetic stresses persist within the marginally stable orbit, and (ii) that the importance of those stresses for the dynamics of the flow depends upon the strength of magnetic fields in the disk outside the last stable orbit. Strong disk magnetic fields (alpha > 0.1) lead to a gross violation of the zero-torque boundary condition at the last stable orbit, while weaker fields (alpha ~ 0.01) produce results more akin to traditional models for thin disk accretion onto black holes. Fluctuations in the magnetic field strength in the disk could lead to changes in the radiative efficiency of the flow on short timescales.