How do Black Hole Accretion Disks Radiate?
Shane Davis (UCSB) - 5 Dec at 12:00 noon
I will discuss recent work on fully-relativistic, thin disk models of
accretion flows in black hole X-ray binaries (BHBs). Focusing on their
vertical structure and spectra, I will examine the physical assumptions
which underly simple models and discuss efforts to improve on these
assumptions guided in part by results from MHD numerical simulations of
accretion flows. The models utilize non-LTE, stellar-atmosphere-like
calculations and, therefore, provide the most detailed models available
for comparing directly with the observed spectra from BHBs in the
high/soft state. I will summarize spectral fitting results which
demonstrate how these models may be used to test and constrain accretion
disk theory. I will also discuss how these models may be used to estimate
black hole spins and test for the presence of torques on the inner edges
of accretion disks.
The seminar will be held in 544 Campbell Hall.
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