Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2024/iii/paper-347/3/b/solution

Denote the four terms by
so the radial or poloidal momentum equation is .
i) In a thin Keplerian accretion disk, radial inertia and pressure are higher-order in , leaving .
ii) In a nearly static stellar atmosphere, and hydrostatic pressure balance gives .
iii) In pressureless gravitational collapse, rotation and pressure are negligible, so ; this is free fall.
iv) A slim accretion disk retains radial inertia and radial pressure together with gravity and centrifugal support, so all four terms generally survive: .
v) A stationary geometrically thick disk or torus has negligible poloidal inertia but order-one pressure support, giving .
vi) Nonrotating Bondi accretion has and . In a highly supersonic Bondi--Hoyle limit the pressure term is also negligible, reducing this to ballistic .
vii) A sub-Keplerian advection-dominated accretion flow has significant pressure support and radial inflow as well as rotation, so again , with smaller than the Keplerian value and the remaining inward gravity balanced by and .

New to topics? Read the docs here!