Extracting Energy from Accretion into Kerr Black Hole

Abstract

The highest efficiency of converting rest mass into energy by accreting matter into a Kerr black hole is ~ 31% (Thorne 1974). We propose a new process in which periods of accretion from a thin disk, and the associated spin-up of the black hole, alternate with the periods of no accretion and magnetic transfer of energy from the black hole to the disk. These cycles can repeat indefinitely, at least in principle, with the black hole mass increasing by ~ 66% per cycle, and up to ~ 43% of accreted rest mass radiated away by the disk.

4 pages, 1 figure