Black hole magnetospheres

Journal Article · Fri Jun 20 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/186· OSTI ID:22356542

Nathanail, Antonios; Contopoulos, Ioannis ^[1]

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1. Research Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics, Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 (Greece)

We investigate the structure of the steady-state force-free magnetosphere around a Kerr black hole in various astrophysical settings. The solution Ψ(r, θ) depends on the distributions of the magnetic field line angular velocity ω(Ψ) and the poloidal electric current I(Ψ). These are obtained self-consistently as eigenfunctions that allow the solution to smoothly cross the two singular surfaces of the problem, the inner light surface inside the ergosphere, and the outer light surface, which is the generalization of the pulsar light cylinder. Magnetic field configurations that cross both singular surfaces (e.g., monopole, paraboloidal) are uniquely determined. Configurations that cross only one light surface (e.g., the artificial case of a rotating black hole embedded in a vertical magnetic field) are degenerate. We show that, similar to pulsars, black hole magnetospheres naturally develop an electric current sheet that potentially plays a very important role in the dissipation of black hole rotational energy and in the emission of high-energy radiation.

• OSTI ID: 22356542
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 788; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ACCRETION DISKS
ANGULAR VELOCITY
ASTROPHYSICS
BLACK HOLES
DISTRIBUTION
EMISSION
KERR FIELD
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PULSARS
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
SURFACES
VISIBLE RADIATION