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Accretion disks around massive black holes: Persistent emission spectra

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/156349· OSTI ID:6879484

Detailed model calculations of steady X-ray emission from accretion disks around massive black holes are presented. The general emission features characterizing different disk models are summarized for a wide region in (M, M) parameter space. Continuous radiation spectra are plotted for the disk models for black holes of mass M/M/sub sun/=10/sup 2/--10/sup 3/ accreting gas at a rate M/(10/sup 17/ g s/sup -1/) =1--10/sup 4/. The results may be relevant to X-ray generation in globular clusters and (or) in active galactic nuclei and quasars. In particular, observations of galactic X-ray source spectra indicate that, for many sources, the ''standard'' disk and ''two-temperature'' disk models for accretion onto a massive black hole do not apply, while the optically thin bremsstrahlung model is consistent with the data.

Research Organization:
Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
OSTI ID:
6879484
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 224:1; ISSN ASJOA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English