Dynamics of Plasma Close to the Horizon of a Schwarzschild Black Hole

Chou, W; Tajima, T

doi:10.1086/306831

Title: Dynamics of Plasma Close to the Horizon of a Schwarzschild Black Hole

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Abstract

General relativistic plasma dynamics relevant to the condition very close to a black hole event horizon is developed. The plasma is studied using the 3{plus}1 paradigm of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. The equilibrium and dynamical solution of such a plasma in Rindler{close_quote}s coordinates are presented. We assume a pressure source at the horizon that provides the balancing force to stop the radial infall of the plasma. We show that the plasma near the black hole is subject to the convective instability when the magnetic field is absent and to the magnetic buoyancy instability when a toroidal field exists. These instabilities are largely suppressed, however, in the presence of a poloidal magnetic field. Therefore, when a poloidal magnetic field is twisted and changed into a toroidal field by plasma rotation, the plasma is destabilized due to these instabilities. The manifestation of these instabilities is a jet formation from this inner region of a black hole atmosphere. Since this formation mechanism is deep in the gravitational potential of a black hole, the energy liberated and the jet formed by this mechanism can be very substantial. We suggest that this mechanism provides a viable model for recent observations of the superluminal jets from themore »« less

Authors:

Chou, W; Tajima, T ^[1]

Department of Physics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI Identifier:: 342564

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Astrophysical Journal

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 513; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1999

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 66 PHYSICS; SCHWARZSCHILD METRIC; PLASMA INSTABILITY; BLACK HOLES; SCHWARZSCHILD RADIUS; RELATIVISTIC PLASMA; CONVECTIVE INSTABILITIES; MAGNETIC FIELDS; ACCRETION DISKS; HYDRODYNAMICS; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS

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                    Chou, W, and Tajima, T. Dynamics of Plasma Close to the Horizon of a Schwarzschild Black Hole.  United States: N. p., 1999. 
        Web.  doi:10.1086/306831.

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                    Chou, W, & Tajima, T. Dynamics of Plasma Close to the Horizon of a Schwarzschild Black Hole.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1086/306831

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                    Chou, W, and Tajima, T. 1999.  
        "Dynamics of Plasma Close to the Horizon of a Schwarzschild Black Hole".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1086/306831.

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@article{osti_342564,

  title        = {Dynamics of Plasma Close to the Horizon of a Schwarzschild Black Hole},

  author       = {Chou, W and Tajima, T},

  abstractNote = {General relativistic plasma dynamics relevant to the condition very close to a black hole event horizon is developed. The plasma is studied using the 3{plus}1 paradigm of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. The equilibrium and dynamical solution of such a plasma in Rindler{close_quote}s coordinates are presented. We assume a pressure source at the horizon that provides the balancing force to stop the radial infall of the plasma. We show that the plasma near the black hole is subject to the convective instability when the magnetic field is absent and to the magnetic buoyancy instability when a toroidal field exists. These instabilities are largely suppressed, however, in the presence of a poloidal magnetic field. Therefore, when a poloidal magnetic field is twisted and changed into a toroidal field by plasma rotation, the plasma is destabilized due to these instabilities. The manifestation of these instabilities is a jet formation from this inner region of a black hole atmosphere. Since this formation mechanism is deep in the gravitational potential of a black hole, the energy liberated and the jet formed by this mechanism can be very substantial. We suggest that this mechanism provides a viable model for recent observations of the superluminal jets from the galactic black hole candidates GRS 1915{plus}105 and GRO J1655{minus}40. {copyright} {ital {copyright} 1999.} {ital The American Astronomical Society}},

  doi          = {10.1086/306831},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/342564},
  journal      = {Astrophysical Journal},
number       = 1,

  volume       = 513,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},

  month        = {Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}

}

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