Open AccessModel for how an accretion disk drives astrophysical jets and sheds angular momentum
Author(s) -
Paul M. Bellan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plasma physics and controlled fusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.328
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1361-6587
pISSN - 0741-3335
DOI - 10.1088/1361-6587/aa85f9
Subject(s) - physics , angular momentum , accretion (finance) , radius , ionization , jet (fluid) , plasma , astrophysics , total angular momentum quantum number , astrophysical jet , ion , classical mechanics , active galactic nucleus , mechanics , nuclear physics , galaxy , quantum mechanics , computer security , computer science
Clumps of ions and neutrals in the weakly ionized plasma in an accretion disk are shown to follow trajectories analogous to those of fictitious 'metaparticles' having a charge to mass ratio reduced from that of an ion by the ionization fraction. A certain class of meta-particles have zero-canonical angular momentum and so spiral in towards the star. Accumulation of these meta-particles establishes a radial electric field that drives the electric current that flows in bidirectional astrophysical jets lying along the disk axis and provides forces that drive the jets. The entire process converts gravitational potential energy into jet energy while absorbing angular momentum from accreting material and shedding this angular momentum at near infinite radius.
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