paper

Black Hole Magnetospheres Around Thin Disks Driving Inward and Outward Winds

arXiv:astro-ph/0011185 · doi:10.1086/320575

Abstract

We construct a simple model for stationary, axisymmetric black-hole magnetospheres, in which the poloidal magnetic field is generated by a toroidal electric current in a thin disk with the inner edge, by solving the vacuum Maxwell equations in Schwarzschild background. In this work, to obtain a concise analytical form of the magnetic stream function, we use the approximation that the inner edge is far distant from the event horizon. The global magnetospheric structure with the closed-loop and open field lines threading the inner and outer parts of the disk is explicitly shown, claiming that the model is useful as a starting point to study astrophysical problems involving inward disk-driven winds to a black hole and outward ones to infinity. The asymptotic shape of the field lines at the event horizon becomes nearly cylindrical, while at infinity it becomes conical. The magnetic spot in the disk connected with the black hole through the loop field lines occupies a very narrow region with the ring area roughly equal to the horizon area. By taking account of the existence of a uniform (external) magnetic field, we also obtain the model for collimated open field lines. Then, it is found that the magnetic connection between the black hole and the disk breaks down if the uniform field is strong enough. Considering slow rotation of the magnetosphere and angular momentum transfer by inward winds from the disk, the final discussion is devoted to gradual disruption of the closed loops due to radial accretion of disk plasma toward the black hole.

15 pages 4 figures accepted for publication in ApJ

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