{
  "id": "1701.02847",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2017-01-11T05:00:10.000Z",
  "updated": "2017-01-11T05:00:10.000Z",
  "title": "Radiative magnetic reconnection near accreting black holes",
  "authors": [
    "Andrei M. Beloborodov"
  ],
  "comment": "11 pages, 3 figures, submitted to ApJ",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.HE"
  ],
  "abstract": "A radiative mechanism is proposed for magnetic flares near luminous accreting black holes. It is based on recent first-principle simulations of magnetic reconnection, which show a hierarchical chain of fast-moving plasmoids. The reconnection occurs in a compact region (comparable to the black hole radius), and the chain experiences fast Compton cooling accompanied by electron-positron pair creation. The distribution of plasmoid speeds is shaped by radiative losses, and the self-regulated chain radiates its energy in hard X-rays. The mechanism is illustrated by Monte-Carlo simulations of the transfer of seed soft photons through the reconnection layer. The emerging radiation spectrum has a cutoff near 100 keV similar to the hard-state spectra of X-ray binaries and AGN. We discuss how the chain cooling differs from previous phenomenological emission models, and suggest that it can explain the hard X-ray activity of accreting black holes from first principles. Particles accelerated at the X-points of the chain produce an additional high-energy component, explaining \"hybrid Comptonization\" observed in Cyg X-1.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2017-01-11T05:00:10.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "accreting black holes",
      "radiative magnetic reconnection",
      "experiences fast compton cooling",
      "chain experiences fast compton",
      "black hole radius"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 11,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}