view Abstract Citations (62) References (21) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Accretion disks around massive black holes: persistent emission spectra. Eardley, D. M. ; Lightman, A. P. ; Payne, D. G. ; Shapiro, S. L. Abstract Detailed model calculations of steady X-ray emission from gaseous accretion disks around massive black holes are presented. The continuous X-ray spectrum of such a disk for black-hole masses of 100, 1000, and 10,000 solar masses and a range of accretion rates is discussed using three different disk models ('standard', 'two-temperature', and 'optically thin') capable of generating a copious flux of X-rays above 1 keV. Comparison with observations of galactic X-ray sources in the energy range from 2 to 20 keV shows that the two-temperature and standard models may be ruled out for many of the sources, while the bremsstrahlung regime of the optically thin model is still possible. The standard model is found to be too soft, and the two-temperature model too hard, to explain the observations of both galactic-bulge and globular-cluster X-ray sources. It is concluded that a massive black hole with an accretion disk requires the bremsstrahlung regime of the optically thin model to explain observed bulge and globular-cluster sources. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: August 1978 DOI: 10.1086/156349 Bibcode: 1978ApJ...224...53E Keywords: Black Holes (Astronomy); Emission Spectra; Globular Clusters; Stellar Mass Accretion; X Ray Sources; Bremsstrahlung; Disks (Shapes); Galactic Bulge; Galactic Radiation; X Ray Spectra; Astrophysics; Accretion Disks:Black Holes; Accretion Disks:X-Ray Spectra; Globular Clusters:X-Ray Sources full text sources ADS |