Non-thermal Synchrotron Emission and Polarization Signatures during Black Hole Flux Eruptions

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhou, Fan, Huang, Jiewei, Li, Yuehang, Zhang, Zhenyu, Hou, Yehui, Guo, Minyong, Chen, Bin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Zhou, Fan
Huang, Jiewei
Li, Yuehang
Zhang, Zhenyu
Hou, Yehui
Guo, Minyong
Chen, Bin
author_facet Zhou, Fan
Huang, Jiewei
Li, Yuehang
Zhang, Zhenyu
Hou, Yehui
Guo, Minyong
Chen, Bin
contents In this work, we investigate synchrotron emission and the observational signatures of anisotropic non-thermal electrons during magnetic-flux eruptions in a magnetically arrested disk, using 3D GRMHD simulations. Non-thermal electrons are assumed to be accelerated from the thermal background through magnetic reconnection, with pitch-angle distributions modeled as beamed or loss-cone types, alongside an isotropic case for comparison. The results show that non-thermal emission can produce pronounced flux outbursts and localized brightening during eruptions, while the associated increase in optical depth can suppress the linear polarization fraction. Introducing pitch-angle anisotropy further reshapes the angular distribution of the intrinsic emissivity and modulates its contribution to various observable signatures. Strong field-aligned beaming in the electron distribution suppresses non-thermal emission for near-axis observers, effectively driving the image morphology toward a purely thermal limit. In contrast, moderately anisotropic models remain effective at imprinting non-thermal electron signatures on both the total intensity and polarization structure. We further quantify how eruption-driven increases in absorption depth and enhanced Faraday effects reduce the linear polarization fraction and modify the azimuthal coherence of the polarization field. Overall, our results demonstrate that incorporating anisotropic non-thermal electrons is essential for a physically self-consistent interpretation of time-variable EHT polarimetric observations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_06803
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Non-thermal Synchrotron Emission and Polarization Signatures during Black Hole Flux Eruptions
Zhou, Fan
Huang, Jiewei
Li, Yuehang
Zhang, Zhenyu
Hou, Yehui
Guo, Minyong
Chen, Bin
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
In this work, we investigate synchrotron emission and the observational signatures of anisotropic non-thermal electrons during magnetic-flux eruptions in a magnetically arrested disk, using 3D GRMHD simulations. Non-thermal electrons are assumed to be accelerated from the thermal background through magnetic reconnection, with pitch-angle distributions modeled as beamed or loss-cone types, alongside an isotropic case for comparison. The results show that non-thermal emission can produce pronounced flux outbursts and localized brightening during eruptions, while the associated increase in optical depth can suppress the linear polarization fraction. Introducing pitch-angle anisotropy further reshapes the angular distribution of the intrinsic emissivity and modulates its contribution to various observable signatures. Strong field-aligned beaming in the electron distribution suppresses non-thermal emission for near-axis observers, effectively driving the image morphology toward a purely thermal limit. In contrast, moderately anisotropic models remain effective at imprinting non-thermal electron signatures on both the total intensity and polarization structure. We further quantify how eruption-driven increases in absorption depth and enhanced Faraday effects reduce the linear polarization fraction and modify the azimuthal coherence of the polarization field. Overall, our results demonstrate that incorporating anisotropic non-thermal electrons is essential for a physically self-consistent interpretation of time-variable EHT polarimetric observations.
title Non-thermal Synchrotron Emission and Polarization Signatures during Black Hole Flux Eruptions
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.06803