Loss cone ($J<J_{\mathrm{lc}}$)

A loss cone consists of low-angular momentum stellar trajectories whose next pericentre enters a central absorbing region. For capture radius $r_c$ in a black hole-dominated potential, the Newtonian near-parabolic estimate is $J_{\mathrm{lc}}^2\simeq 2G{M}_H{r}_c$. At radius $r$ and speed $v$, its angular half-width is $J_{\mathrm{lc}}/(rv)$. Two-body relaxation can refill this depleted part of phase space.

For a homologous black hole-dominated cluster, write $E=-bG{M}_{H}Nm/(2R)$, and let a captured star's specific orbital energy be ${ϵ}_{\mathrm{cap}}=\xi E/(Nm)$. Removing negative orbital energy raises the remaining cluster energy, while growth ${\dot{M}}_H=m\Gamma$ deepens its potential. The energy budget gives the displayed radius response. Preferentially removing strongly bound stars can drive expansion; representative-energy removal instead gives the adiabatic contraction due to black-hole growth. The sign is not fixed by the loss cone angle alone.

Here ${\mathcal{R}}_{\mathrm{lc}}=J_{\mathrm{lc}}^2/J_c^2$ is the orbital loss cone fraction, $P$ an orbital period, and $t_{\mathrm{rel}}$ a stellar relaxation time. When angular diffusion per orbit is small relative to the cone, a steady two-dimensional diffusion solution is logarithmic and gives the empty-cone flux. Rapid refilling maintains an approximately isotropic full cone and gives the second rate. Numerical total rates need a stellar density and orbital-energy distribution, not merely a star count.