skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: MAGNETICALLY TORQUED NEUTRINO-DOMINATED ACCRETION FLOWS FOR GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China)

Recent observations and theoretical work on gamma-ray bursts favor the central engine model of a Kerr black hole (BH) surrounded by a magnetized neutrino-dominated accretion flow (NDAF). The magnetic coupling between the BH and the disk through a large-scale closed magnetic field exerts a torque on the disk and transports the rotational energy from the BH to the disk. We investigate the properties of the NDAF with this magnetic torque. For a rapid spinning BH, the magnetic torque transfers enormous rotational energy from BH into the inner disk. There are two consequences: (1) the luminosity of neutrino annihilation is greatly augmented; (2) the disk becomes thermally and viscously unstable in the inner region, displaying s-shaped curves of the surface density versus accretion rate. It turns out that the magnetically torqued NDAF can be invoked to interpret the variability of gamma-ray luminosity. In addition, we discuss the possibility of restarting the central engine to produce the X-ray flares with required energy.

OSTI ID:
21313732
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 700, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/700/2/1970; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English