The Fate of Transonic Shocks around Black Holes and their Future Astrophysical Implications

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Main Authors: Dihingia, Indu K., Uniyal, Akhil, Mizuno, Yosuke
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Dihingia, Indu K.
Uniyal, Akhil
Mizuno, Yosuke
author_facet Dihingia, Indu K.
Uniyal, Akhil
Mizuno, Yosuke
contents Theoretical models have long predicted the existence of shocks in multi-transonic accretion flows onto a black hole, yet their fate under realistic general relativistic simulations has not been fully tested. In this study, we present results from high-resolution two-dimensional general relativistic hydrodynamic (GRHD) and general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of low-angular-momentum accretion flows onto Kerr black holes, focusing on the formation of shocks in transonic accretion flow. We demonstrate that for specific combinations of energy and angular momentum, global shock solutions naturally emerge between multiple sonic points. These shocks are sustained in both corotating and counter-rotating cases, and their locations depend on specific energy, angular momentum, and the spin of the black hole which is in good agreement with analytical solutions. In magnetized flows, weak magnetic fields preserve the shock structure, whereas strong fields suppress it, enhancing turbulence and driving powerful, magnetically dominated jets/outflows. The strength and structure of the outflow also depend on a black hole spin and magnetization, with higher black hole spin parameters leading to faster jets. Shock solutions are found only in super-Alfvénic regions, where kinetic forces dominate. Our findings provide important insights into the physics of hot corona formation and jet launching in low-angular-momentum accretion systems such as Sgr~A$^*$ (weak jet/outflow) and X-ray binaries.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_23187
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Fate of Transonic Shocks around Black Holes and their Future Astrophysical Implications
Dihingia, Indu K.
Uniyal, Akhil
Mizuno, Yosuke
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Theoretical models have long predicted the existence of shocks in multi-transonic accretion flows onto a black hole, yet their fate under realistic general relativistic simulations has not been fully tested. In this study, we present results from high-resolution two-dimensional general relativistic hydrodynamic (GRHD) and general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of low-angular-momentum accretion flows onto Kerr black holes, focusing on the formation of shocks in transonic accretion flow. We demonstrate that for specific combinations of energy and angular momentum, global shock solutions naturally emerge between multiple sonic points. These shocks are sustained in both corotating and counter-rotating cases, and their locations depend on specific energy, angular momentum, and the spin of the black hole which is in good agreement with analytical solutions. In magnetized flows, weak magnetic fields preserve the shock structure, whereas strong fields suppress it, enhancing turbulence and driving powerful, magnetically dominated jets/outflows. The strength and structure of the outflow also depend on a black hole spin and magnetization, with higher black hole spin parameters leading to faster jets. Shock solutions are found only in super-Alfvénic regions, where kinetic forces dominate. Our findings provide important insights into the physics of hot corona formation and jet launching in low-angular-momentum accretion systems such as Sgr~A$^*$ (weak jet/outflow) and X-ray binaries.
title The Fate of Transonic Shocks around Black Holes and their Future Astrophysical Implications
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.23187