Ab Initio Horizon-scale Simulations of Magnetically Arrested Accretion in Sagittarius A* Fed by Stellar Winds
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We present 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of the accretion flow surrounding Sagittarius A* that are initialized using larger-scale MHD simulations of the ∼30 Wolf–Rayet (WR) stellar winds in the Galactic center. The properties of the resulting accretion flow on horizon scales are set not by ad hoc initial conditions but by the observationally constrained properties of the WR winds with limited free parameters. For this initial study we assume a non-spinning black hole. Our simulations naturally produce a ∼10 −8 M ⊙ yr −1 accretion rate, consistent with previous phenomenological estimates. We find that a magnetically arrested flow is formed by the continuous accretion of coherent magnetic field being fed from large radii. Near the event horizon, the magnetic field is so strong that it tilts the gas with respect to the initial angular momentum and concentrates the originally quasi-spherical flow to a narrow disk-like structure. We also present 230 GHz images calculated from our simulations where the inclination angle and physical accretion rate are not free parameters but are determined by the properties of the WR stellar winds. The image morphology is highly time variable. Linear polarization on horizon scales is coherent with weak internal Faraday rotation.
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This accretion rate is consistent with the accretion of stellar wind material from nearby Wolf-Rayet stars.
“This accretion rate is found to be consistent with the accretion of stellar wind material from nearby Wolf-Rayet stars (Loeb 2004; Mo´ scibrodzka et al. 2006; Ressler et al. 2020).”
From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Ressler et al. 2020
Such highly magnetized accretion flow produces jets/outflows that restrict the final accretion to the black hole to only ~10^-8 M⊙/yr.
“Such highly magnetized accretion flow produces jets / outflows that restrict the final accretion to the black hole to only ∼ 10 -8 M ⊙ yr -1 (Ressler et al. 2020, 2023).”
From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Ressler et al. 2020
More sophisticated numerical simulations employing GRMHD also agree on the estimated accretion rates from the simpler accretion flow models.
“More sophisticated numerical simulations employing state-of-the-art methods for solving the General Relativistic Magneto-Hydrodynamics (GRMHD) equations also agree on the estimated accretion rates from the simpler accretion flow models (Dexter et al. 2009; Drappeau et al. 2013; Ressler et al. 2020, 2023).”
From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Ressler et al. 2020
Multi-scale simulations covering the whole range ≈1 rg to 6×10^6 rg suggest that even though the wind feeds the SMBH at a higher rate (at ~10^6 rg scale), the accreted material close to the black hole quickly becomes 'magnetically arrested' and gas accretion to the black hole happens only via a thin disk.
“Multi-scale simulations covering the whole range of ≈ 1 rg to 6 × 10 6 rg suggest that even though the wind feeds the SMBH at a higher rate (at ∼ 10 6 rg scale), the accreted material close to the black hole quickly becomes 'magnetically arrested' and gas accretion to the black hole happens only via a thin disk.”
From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Ressler et al. 2020
Cites
The Two Young Star Disks in the Central Parsec of the Galaxy: Properties, Dynamics, and Formation
Paumard, T., Genzel, R., Martins, F., Nayakshin, S., Beloborodov, A. M., Levin, Y., Trippe, S., Eisenhauer, F., Ott, T., Gillessen, S., et al. (2006) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/503273 · Cited by 690 · see citing works
An Unambiguous Detection of Faraday Rotation in Sagittarius A*
Marrone, D. P., Moran, J. M., Zhao, J.-H., & Rao, R. (2007) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/510850 · Cited by 298 · see citing works
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Georgiev, B., Pesce, D. W., Broderick, A. E., Wong, G. N., Dhruv, V., Wielgus, M., Gammie, C. F., Chan, C.-K., Chatterjee, K., Emami, R., et al. (2022) · The Astrophysical Journal Letters · doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac65eb · Cited by 40 · see citing works
The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way
Sarkar, K. C. (2024) · The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review · doi:10.1007/s00159-024-00152-1 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
“This accretion rate is found to be consistent with the accretion of stellar wind material from nearby Wolf-Rayet stars (Loeb 2004; Mo´scibrodzka et al. 2006; Ressler et al. 2020).”
BackgroundMethodResult
- Authors
- Ressler, S. M., White, C. J., Quataert, E., & Stone, J. M.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Institute for Advanced Study (US)
- Venue
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Publisher
- American Astronomical Society
- Published
- 2020-06-01
- Volume
- 896
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- L6
- ISSN
- 2041-8205 (ISSN-L)
- 2041-8213
- OpenAlex
- W3029747515
- Cited by
- 123
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 6.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Funders
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF7392)
- NSF (NSF PHY-1748958, AST-1715054, AST-1715277)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
- Keywords
- Sgr A*, Galactic Center, black hole accretion, general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics, accretion disk formation, magnetic field configuration, linear polarization, Faraday rotation, accretion rate
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