Image of a spherical black hole with thin accretion disk.
Abstract
Black hole accretion disks are currently a topic of widespread interest in astrophysics and are supposed to play an important role in a number of high-energy situations. An investigation of the optical appearance of a spherical black hole surrounded by thin accretion disk is presented. Isoradial curves corresponding to photons emitted at constant radius from the hole as seen by a distant observer in an arbitrary direction have been plotted, as well as spectral shifts arising from gravitational and Doppler shifts. The results of Page and Thorne (1974) show that the relative intrinsic intensity of radiation emitted by the disk at a given radius is a known function of the radius only, so that it is possible to calculate the exact distribution of observed bolometric flux. Direct and secondary images are plotted. Strong asymmetry in the flux distribution due to the rotation of the disk is exhibited. A simulated photograph, valid for black holes of any mass accreting matter at any moderate rate, is constructed.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- May 1979
- Bibcode:
- 1979A&A....75..228L
- Keywords:
-
- Black Holes (Astronomy);
- Stellar Mass Accretion;
- Doppler Effect;
- Optics;
- Radiation Distribution;
- Spheres;
- Astrophysics;
- Accretion Disks:Black Holes;
- Black Holes:Models