Open AccessReprocessing of radiation by multi‐phase gas in low‐luminosity accretion flows
Author(s) -
Celotti A.,
Rees M. J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02574.x
Subject(s) - physics , accretion (finance) , astrophysics , luminosity , radiation , accretion disc , astronomy , nuclear physics , galaxy
We discuss the role that magnetic fields in low‐luminosity accretion flows can play in creating and maintaining a multi‐phase medium, and show that small clouds or filaments of dense cold gas can dramatically reprocess the `primary' radiation from tori. In particular, radio emission is suppressed by free–free absorption, and an extra (weak) component appears at optical wavelengths. This is expected to be a common process in various environments in the central regions of active galaxies, such as broad‐line regions, accretion disc coronae and jets.