Hyper- and suspended-accretion states of rotating black holes and the durations of gamma-ray bursts

Maurice H.P.M. Van Putten, Eve C. Ostriker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

We analyze the temporal evolution of accretion onto rotating black holes subject to large-scale magnetic torques. Wind torques alone drive a disk toward collapse in a finite time ∼tffEk/EB, where tff is the initial free-fall time and Ek/EB is the ratio of kinetic energy to poloidal magnetic energy. Additional spin-up torques from a rapidly rotating black hole can arrest the disk's inflow. We associate short/long gamma-ray bursts with hyperaccretion/ suspended-accretion onto slowly/rapidly spinning black holes. This model predicts afterglow emission from short bursts and may be tested by HETE-2.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L31-L34
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume552
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2001
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

  • Black hole physics
  • Gamma rays: bursts
  • Gamma rays: theory

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