 Black-hole accretion

Black-hole accretion is the inflow of matter onto a black hole, converting some of its gravitational binding energy into heat, electromagnetic radiation and outflows. Matter with substantial angular momentum generally forms an accretion disk; internal stresses transfer angular momentum outward so that matter can move inward. The released energy can be radiated before the material crosses the event horizon. In a thin-disk model the innermost stable circular orbit marks the transition toward rapid plunging motion, although the detailed inner flow depends on the accretion state.^[ref]

The relation $L=\eta \dot{M}{c}^2$ defines the radiative efficiency of black-hole accretion, where $L$ is emitted luminosity, $\dot{M}$ the mass accretion rate and $c$ the speed of light. A radiatively inefficient accretion flow carries much of its available energy inward or into outflows instead of emitting it, so luminosity alone need not measure the mass supply.