Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/iii/paper-347/3/b/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 347 3 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-09-29
For a Keplerian accretion disk, , soHere is the dissipation summed over the two faces. The total luminosity isThis is the binding energy per unit mass of a circular orbit at the inner edge, multiplied by the accretion rate. The zero-torque inner boundary condition ensures that no additional mechanical work enters from smaller radii.
The luminosity emitted outside radius isWriting , the condition becomes . Its physical root is , and henceHalf of a thin disk's luminosity therefore comes from only the innermost factor four in radius, so strong-gravity effects and the inner-boundary condition strongly influence its observed spectrum.
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