Black hole model of quasar-like objects - infrared optical emission.
Abstract
A 'fountain model' of quasar infrared-optical emission is proposed which consists of clumps of gas clouds moving violently around a massive black hole (1 million to 1 billion solar masses) embedded in a very dense stellar system in a galactic nucleus. This model assumes that supercritical accretion and ejection are the major mechanisms of energy extraction from the very deep potential well near the black hole, that clouds are responsible for most of the power output in the IR and optical regions, and that the nonthermal IR-optical spectrum is produced through plasma instabilities and Compton processes. Calculations are performed on the basis of a highly idealized and simplified model in which a standard accretion disk replaces infalling matter, spherically outgoing winds represent outflowing matter, and a spherical cloud of uniform temperature and density replaces clumps of clouds. Results are presented for three cases representing ordinary Seyfert nuclei, less luminous quasars, and more luminous quasars; these results relate especially to the IR-optical, X-ray, and radio emission from these objects. Possible applications of the fountain model to other galactic nuclei that are strong radio sources (specifically Cyg A and Cen A) are considered, and some of the major problems associated with quasar models that assume cosmological redshifts are discussed.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- December 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977A&A....61..647T
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Models;
- Black Holes (Astronomy);
- Galactic Radiation;
- Infrared Astronomy;
- Quasars;
- Angular Momentum;
- Compton Effect;
- Eddington Approximation;
- Galactic Nuclei;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Flow;
- Orbital Velocity;
- Photons;
- Radio Emission;
- X Ray Sources;
- Astrophysics