Accretion onto a higher dimensional black hole

Abstract

We examine the steady-state spherically symmetric accretion of relativistic fluids, with a polytropic equation of state, onto a higher-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole. The mass accretion rate, critical radius, and flow parameters are determined and compared with results obtained in standard four dimensions. The accretion rate, $\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \textperiodcentered \fi{}}{M}$, is an explicit function of the black hole mass, $M$, as well as the gas boundary conditions and the dimensionality, $D$, of the spacetime. We also find the asymptotic compression ratios and temperature profiles below the accretion radius and at the event horizon. This analysis is a generalization of Michel's solution to higher dimensions and of the Newtonian expressions of Giddings and Mangano, which consider the accretion of TeV black holes.