Relativistic spectra from black hole binaries

What is it about?

This work presents a novel approach to calculating fully relativistic spectra from accretion disks around rotating stellar black holes without the need for general relativity and ray-tracing methods. Hence, this approach is a very convenient and less time-consuming alternative to estimating black hole spins via the continuum-fitting method.

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Photo by Aman Pal on Unsplash

Photo by Aman Pal on Unsplash

Why is it important?

We propose a way of obtaining relativistic spectra from the Shakura-Sunyaev thin accretion disks by employing a spin-dependent temperature profile and a modified inner disk radius depending on the source viewing angle. This way, we bridge the gap between Newtonian simplicity and effectiveness and general relativistic completeness and complexity, furthering future applications.