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Title: ACCRETION DISK WARPING BY RESONANT RELAXATION: THE CASE OF MASER DISK NGC 4258

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal (Online)
;  [1]
  1. Faculty of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, P.O. Box 26, Rehovot 76100 (Israel)

The maser disk around the massive black hole (MBH) in active galaxy NGC 4258 exhibits an O(10 deg.) warp on the O(0.1 pc) scale. The physics driving the warp is still debated. Suggested mechanisms include torquing by relativistic frame dragging or by radiation pressure. We propose here a new warping mechanism: resonant torquing of the disk by stars in the dense cusp around the MBH. We show that resonant torquing can induce such a warp over a wide range of observed and deduced physical parameters of the maser disk.

OSTI ID:
21313724
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal (Online), Vol. 700, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/700/2/L192; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-4357
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English