Arnab K. Ray

Critical properties and stability of stationary solutions in multitransonic pseudo-Schwarzschild accretion

For inviscid, rotational accretion flows, both isothermal and polytropic, a simple dynamical system analysis of the critical points has given a very accurate mathematical scheme to understand the nature of these points, for any pseudo-potential by which the flow may be driven on to a Schwarzschild black hole. This allows us for a complete classification of the critical points for a wide range of flow parameters, and shows that the only possible critical points for this kind of flow are saddle points and centre-type points. A restrictive upper bound on the angular momentum of critical solutions has been established. A time-dependent perturbative study reveals that the form of the perturbation equation, for both isothermal and polytropic flows, is invariant under the choice of any particular pseudo-potential. Under generically true outer boundary conditions, the inviscid flow has been shown to be stable under an adiabatic and radially propagating perturbation. The perturbation equation has also served the dual purpose of enabling and understanding the acoustic geometry for inviscid and rotational flows.

Axisymmetric black hole accretion in the Kerr metric as an autonomous dynamical system

In a stationary, general relativistic, axisymmetric, inviscid and rotational accretion flow, described within the Kerr geometric framework, transonicity has been examined by setting up the governing equations of the flow as a first-order autonomous dynamical system. The consequent linearised analysis of the critical points of the flow leads to a comprehensive mathematical prescription for classifying these points, showing that the only possibilities are saddle points and centre-type points for all ranges of values of the fixed flow parameters. The spin parameter of the black hole influences the multitransonic character of the flow, as well as some of its specific critical properties. The special case of a flow in the space-time of a non-rotating black hole, characterised by the Schwarzschild metric, has also been studied for comparison and the conclusions are compatible with what has been seen for the Kerr geometric case.

Realizability of stationary spherically symmetric transonic accretion.

The spherically symmetric stationary transonic (Bondi) flow is considered a classic example of an accretion flow. This flow, however, is along a separatrix, which is usually not physically realizable. We demonstrate, using a pedagogical example, that it is the dynamics which selects the transonic flow.

The role of flow geometry in influencing the stability criteria for low angular momentum axisymmetric black hole accretion

Abstract Using mathematical formalism borrowed from dynamical systems theory, a complete analytical investigation of the critical behaviour of stationary flows in low angular momentum axisymmetric black hole accretion, provides significant insight about the nature of the phase trajectories corresponding to transonic accretion in the steady state, without taking recourse to any explicit numerical method commonly reported in the literature on multi-transonic black hole accretion discs and related astrophysical phenomena. Investigation of an accretion process around a non-rotating black hole, forming different geometrical configurations of the flow structure under the influence of various pseudo-Schwarzschild potentials, reveals that the general profile of the parameter space divisions describing multi-critical accretion, is roughly equivalent for various flow geometries. However, a mere variation of the polytropic index of the flow cannot map a critical solution from one flow geometry to another, since the numerical domain of the parameter space responsible for producing multi-critical accretion does not undergo a continuous transformation in multi-dimensional parameter space. The stationary configuration used to demonstrate the aforementioned findings is shown to be stable under time-dependent linearised perturbations for all kinds of flow geometries, driven by any pseudo-Schwarzschild potential, and using a standard equation of state. Finally, the structure of the acoustic metric corresponding to the propagation of the linear perturbation is discussed for various flow geometries used.

Standing and travelling waves in the shallow-water circular hydraulic jump

A wave equation for a time-dependent perturbation about the steady shallow-water solution emulates the metric an acoustic white hole, even upon the incorporation of nonlinearity in the lowest order. A standing wave in the sub-critical region of the flow is stabilised by viscosity, and the resulting time scale for the amplitude decay helps in providing a scaling argument for the formation of the hydraulic jump. A standing wave in the super-critical region, on the other hand, displays an unstable character, which, although somewhat mitigated by viscosity, needs nonlinear effects to be saturated. A travelling wave moving upstream from the sub-critical region, destabilises the flow in the vicinity of the jump, for which experimental support has been given.

Viscosity in spherically symmetric accretion

The influence of viscosity on the flow behaviour in spherically symmetric accretion has been studied here. The governing equation chosen has been the Navier–Stokes equation. It has been found that at least for the transonic solution, viscosity acts as a mechanism that detracts from the effectiveness of gravity. This has been conjectured to set up a limiting scale of length for gravity to bring about accretion, and the physical interpretation of such a length scale has been compared with the conventional understanding of the so-called ‘accretion radius’ for spherically symmetric accretion. For a perturbative presence of viscosity, it has also been pointed out that the critical points for inflows and outflows are not identical, which is a consequence of the fact that under the Navier–Stokes prescription, there is a breakdown of the invariance of the stationary inflow and outflow solutions – an invariance that holds good under inviscid conditions. For inflows, the critical point gets shifted deeper within the gravitational potential well. Finally, a linear stability analysis of the stationary inflow solutions, under the influence of a perturbation that is in the nature of a standing wave, has indicated that the presence of viscosity induces greater stability in the system than has been seen for the case of inviscid spherically symmetric inflows.

Hydraulic jump in one-dimensional flow

Abstract.In the presence of viscosity the hydraulic jump in one dimension is seen to be a first-order transition. A scaling relation for the position of the jump has been determined by applying an averaging technique on the stationary hydrodynamic equations. This gives a linear height profile before the jump, as well as a clear dependence of the magnitude of the jump on the outer boundary condition. The importance of viscosity in the jump formation has been convincingly established, and its physical basis has been understood by a time-dependent analysis of the flow equations. In doing so, a very close correspondence has been revealed between a perturbation equation for the flow rate and the metric of an acoustic white hole. We finally provide experimental support for our heuristically developed theory.

Linearized perturbation on stationary inflow solutions in an inviscid and thin accretion disc

The influence of a linearized perturbation on stationary inflow solutions in an inviscid and thin accretion disc has been studied here, and it has been argued that a perturbative technique would indicate that all possible classes of inflow solutions would be stable. The choice of the driving potential, Newtonian or pseudo-Newtonian, would not particularly affect the arguments which establish the stability of solutions. It has then been surmised that in the matter of the selection of a particular solution, adoption of a non-perturbative technique, based on a more physical criterion, as in the case of the selection of the transonic solution in spherically symmetric accretion, would give a more conclusive indication concerning the choice of a particular branch of the flow.

Critical properties of spherically symmetric black hole accretion in Schwarzschild geometry

The stationary, spherically symmetric, polytropic and inviscid accretion flow in the Schwarzschild metric has been set-up as an autonomous first-order dynamical system, and it has been studied completely analytically. Of the three possible critical points in the flow, the one that is physically realistic behaves like the saddle point of the standard Bondi accretion problem. One of the two remaining critical points exhibits the strange mathematical behaviour of being either a saddle point or a centre-type point, depending on the values of the flow parameters. The third critical point is always unphysical and behaves like a centre-type point. The treatment has been extended to pseudo-Schwarzschild flows for comparison with the general relativistic analysis.

Evolution of transonicity in an accretion disc

For inviscid, rotational accretion flows driven by a general pseudo-Newtonian potential on to a Schwarzschild black hole, the only possible fixed points are saddle points and centre-type points. For a specific choice of the Newtonian potential, the flow has only two critical points, of which the outer one is a saddle point while the inner one is a centre-type point. A restrictive upper bound is imposed on the admissible range of values of the angular momentum of sub-Keplerian flows through a saddle point. These flows are very unstable to any deviation from a necessarily precise boundary condition. The difficulties against the physical realizability of a solution passing through the saddle point have been addressed through a temporal evolution of the flow, which gives a non-perturbative mechanism for selecting a transonic solution passing through the saddle point. An equation of motion for a real-time perturbation about the stationary flows reveals a very close correspondence with the metric of an acoustic black hole, which is also an indication of the primacy of transonicity.