Beltrami state in black-hole accretion disk: A magnetofluid approach

Chinmoy Bhattacharjee, Rupam Das, David J. Stark, and S. M. Mahajan
Phys. Rev. E 92, 063104 – Published 7 December 2015

Abstract

Using the magnetofluid unification framework, we show that the accretion disk plasma (embedded in the background geometry of a black hole) can relax to a class of states known as the Beltrami-Bernoulli (BB) equilibria. Modeling the disk plasma as a Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) system, we find that the space-time curvature can significantly alter the magnetic (velocity) decay rates as we move away from the compact object; the velocity profiles in BB states, for example, deviate substantially from the predicted corresponding geodesic velocity profiles. These departures imply a rich interplay of plasma dynamics and general relativity revealed by examining the corresponding Bernoulli condition representing “homogeneity” of total energy. The relaxed states have their origin in the constraints provided by the two helicity invariants of Hall MHD. These helicities conspire to introduce an oscillatory length scale into the system that is strongly influenced by relativistic and thermal effects.

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  • Received 14 September 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.92.063104

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Chinmoy Bhattacharjee1,2, Rupam Das3, David J. Stark1,2, and S. M. Mahajan1,2,4

  • 1Institute for Fusion Studies, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
  • 2Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
  • 3Department of Physical and Applied Sciences, Madonna University, Livonia, Michigan 48150, USA
  • 4Shiv Nadar University, NH91, Tehsil Dadri, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, 201 314, India

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Issue

Vol. 92, Iss. 6 — December 2015

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