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Lightman-Eardley instabilities and accretion disk thickeningAfter reviewing the role of Compton scattering in accretion disks around black holes, it is discussed whether Lightman-Eardley (LE) secular instabilities can trigger and maintain Pringle-Rees (PR) thermal instabilities. The radiative-transfer-equation and equation-of-state criteria for LE stability in alpha-viscosity-law disk models and dynamic viscosity criteria for more general situations is derived. On the basis of these considerations the LE instability is insufficient for inducing PR instabilities and hot thick inner regions important in accretion-disk models of compact hard X-ray sources. The density thinning due to radial velocity gradients in the accretion flow is suggested as a more likely and satisfactory mechanism.
Document ID
19800034626
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Stoeger, W. R.
(Maryland, University College Park, Md., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Letters
Volume: 20
Issue: 3, 19
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
80A18796
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-21-002-010
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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