Accretion of supersonic magnetized winds onto black holes

TL;DR

This paper investigates how magnetized supersonic winds accrete onto rotating black holes in three dimensions, revealing magnetic effects like rarified spots and eddy formations that differ from purely hydrodynamical models.

Contribution

It introduces the first three-dimensional study of magnetized wind accretion onto rotating black holes, highlighting magnetic pressure effects and shock cone morphology.

Findings

Magnetic pressure dominates in rarified spots within the shock cone.

Eddy formations occur inside the shock cone due to magnetic effects.

Magnetic fields alter the morphology compared to hydrodynamical scenarios.

Abstract

We present the accretion of magnetized supersonic winds onto a rotating black hole in three dimensions. We select representative spin-wind orientations in order to illustrate its effects on the evolution and morphology of the shock cone. The most important finding in the magnetized case, unlike the purely hydrodynamical scenario, is the formation of rarified spots where the magnetic field pressure dominates over the gas pressure. In these rarified spots we find the formation of eddies within the shock cone.