Accretion power in astrophysics / Andrew R. King, Juhan Frank, Derek Jeffrey Raine.

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

1 Accretion as a Source of Energy 1 -- 1.2 The Eddington limit 2 -- 1.3 The emitted spectrum 5 -- 1.4 Accretion theory and observation 6 -- 2 Gas Dynamics 8 -- 2.2 The equations of gas dynamics 8 -- 2.3 Steady adiabatic flows; isothermal flows 11 -- 2.4 Sound waves 12 -- 2.5 Steady, spherically symmetric accretion 14 -- 3 Plasma Concepts 23 -- 3.2 Charge neutrality, plasma oscillations and the Debye length 23 -- 3.3 Collisions 26 -- 3.4 Thermal plasmas: relaxation time and mean free path 30 -- 3.5 The stopping of fast particles by a plasma 32 -- 3.6 Transport phenomena: viscosity 34 -- 3.7 The effect of strong magnetic fields 37 -- 3.8 Shock waves in plasmas 41 -- 4 Accretion in Binary Systems 48 -- 4.2 Interacting binary systems 48 -- 4.3 Roche lobe overflow 49 -- 4.4 Roche geometry and binary evolution 54 -- 4.5 Disc formation 58 -- 4.6 Viscous torques 63 -- 4.7 The magnitude of viscosity 69 -- 4.8 Beyond the [alpha]-prescription 71 -- 4.9 Accretion in close binaries: other possibilities 73 -- 5 Accretion Discs 80 -- 5.2 Radial disc structure 80 -- 5.3 Steady thin discs 84 -- 5.4 The local structure of thin discs 88 -- 5.5 The emitted spectrum 90 -- 5.6 The structure of steady [alpha]-discs (the 'standard model') 93 -- 5.7 Steady discs: confrontation with observation 98 -- 5.8 Time dependence and stability 110 -- 5.9 Dwarf novae 121 -- 5.10 Irradiated discs 129 -- 5.11 Tides, resonances and superhumps 139 -- 5.12 Discs around young stars 148 -- 5.13 Spiral shocks 150 -- 6 Accretion on to a Compact Object 152 -- 6.2 Boundary layers 152 -- 6.3 Accretion on to magnetized neutron stars and white dwarfs 158 -- 6.4 Accretion columns: the white dwarf case 174 -- 6.5 Accretion column structure for neutron stars 191 -- 6.6 X-ray bursters 202 -- 6.7 Black holes 207 -- 6.8 Accreting binary systems with compact components 209 -- 7 Active Galactic Nuclei 213 -- 7.1 Observations 213 -- 7.2 The distances of active galaxies 220 -- 7.3 The sizes of active galactic nuclei 223 -- 7.4 The mass of the central source 225 -- 7.5 Models of active galactic nuclei 228 -- 7.6 The gas supply 230 -- 7.7 Black holes 234 -- 7.8 Accretion efficiency 238 -- 8 Accretion Discs in Active Galactic Nuclei 244 -- 8.1 The nature of the problem 244 -- 8.2 Radio, millimetre and infrared emission 246 -- 8.3 Optical, UV and X-ray emission 247 -- 8.4 The broad and narrow, permitted and forbidden 250 -- 8.5 The narrow line region 252 -- 8.6 The broad line region 255 -- 8.7 The stability of AGN discs 265 -- 9 Accretion Power in Active Galactic Nuclei 267 -- 9.2 Extended radio sources 267 -- 9.3 Compact radio sources 272 -- 9.4 The nuclear continuum 278 -- 9.5 Applications to discs 281 -- 9.6 Magnetic fields 285 -- 9.7 Newtonian electrodynamic discs 287 -- 9.8 The Blandford -- Znajek model 289 -- 9.9 Circuit analysis of black hole power 292 -- 10 Thick Discs 296 -- 10.2 Equilibrium figures 298 -- 10.3 The limiting luminosity 303 -- 10.4 Newtonian vorticity-free torus 306 -- 10.5 Thick accretion discs 309 -- 10.6 Dynamical stability 314 -- 10.7 Astrophysical implications 316 -- 11 Accretion Flows 319 -- 11.2 The equations 320 -- 11.3 Vertically integrated equations -- slim discs 323 -- 11.4 A unified description of steady accretion flows 325 -- 11.5 Stability 331 -- 11.6 Optically thin ADAFs -- similarity solutions 333 -- 11.7 Astrophysical applications 334 -- 11.8 Caveats and alternatives 337 -- Appendix Radiation processes 345.

Accretion Power in Astrophysics examines accretion as a source of energy in both binary star systems containing compact objects, and in active galactic nuclei. Assuming a basic knowledge of physics, the authors describe the physical processes at work in accretion discs and other accretion flows. The first three chapters explain why accretion is a source of energy, and then present the gas dynamics and plasma concepts necessary for astrophysical applications. The next three chapters then develop accretion in stellar systems, including accretion onto compact objects. Further chapters give extensive treatment of accretion in active galactic nuclei, and describe thick accretion discs. A new chapter discusses recently discovered accretion flow solutions. The third edition is greatly expanded and thoroughly updated. New material includes a detailed treatment of disc instabilities, irradiated discs, disc warping, and general accretion flows. The treatment is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and researchers.