Epicyclic Motions and Standing Shocks in Numerically Simulated Tilted Black-Hole Accretion Disks

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the flow structure of tilted black-hole accretion disks, revealing latitude-dependent epicyclic motions, shock formations, and precession effects that could produce observable signals.

Contribution

It identifies a new latitude-dependent epicyclic motion and associated shocks in tilted disks, and confirms their precession behavior through extended simulations.

Findings

Discovery of latitude-dependent radial epicyclic motion.

Identification of shocks aligned with the line-of-nodes.

Confirmation of shock and stream precession with the disk.

Abstract

This work presents a detailed analysis of the overall flow structure and unique features of the inner region of the tilted disk simulations described in Fragile et al. (2007). The primary new feature identified in the main disk body is a latitude-dependent radial epicyclic motion driven by pressure gradients attributable to the gravitomagnetic warping of the disk. The induced motion of the gas is coherent over the scale of the entire disk and is fast enough that it could be observable in features such as relativistic iron lines. The eccentricity of the associated fluid element trajectories increases with decreasing radius, leading to a crowding of orbit trajectories near their apocenters. This results in a local density enhancement akin to a compression. These compressions are sufficiently strong to produce a pair of weak shocks in the vicinity of the black hole. These shocks are roughly aligned with the line-of-nodes between the black-hole symmetry plane and disk midplane, with one shock above the line-of-nodes on one side of the black hole and the other below on the opposite side. These shocks enhance angular momentum transport and energy dissipation near the hole, forcing some material to plunge toward the black hole from well outside the innermost stable circular orbit. A new, extended simulation, which was evolved for more than a full disk precession period, allows us to confirm that these shocks and the previously identified ``plunging streams'' precess with the disk in such a way as to remain aligned relative to the line-of-nodes, as expected based on our physical understanding of these phenomena. Such a precessing structure would likely present a strong quasi-periodic signal.