Rapid black hole growth under anisotropic radiation feedback

Kazuyuki Sugimura, Takashi Hosokawa, Takashi Hosokawa, Takashi Hosokawa, Hidenobu Yajima, Hidenobu Yajima, Kazuyuki Omukai, Kazuyuki Omukai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Discovery of high-redshift (z > 6) supermassive black holes (BHs) may indicate that the rapid (or super-Eddington) gas accretion has aided their quick growth. Here, we study such rapid accretion of the primordial gas on to intermediate-mass (102 105 M) BHs under anisotropic radiation feedback. We perform two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations that solve the flow structure across the Bondi radius, from far outside of the Bondi radius down to a central part that is larger than a circum-BH accretion disc. The radiation from the unresolved circum-BH disc is analytically modelled considering self-shadowing effect. We show that the flow settles into a steady state, where the flow structure consists of two distinct parts: (1) bipolar ionized outflowing regions, where the gas is pushed outward by thermal gas pressure and super-Eddington radiation pressure, and (2) an equatorial neutral inflowing region, where the gas falls towards the central BH without affected by radiation feedback. The resulting accretion rate is much higher than that in the case of isotropic radiation, far exceeding the Eddington-limited rate to reach a value slightly lower than the Bondi one. The opening angle of the equatorial inflowing region is determined by the luminosity and directional dependence of the central radiation. We find that photoevaporation from its surfaces set the critical opening angle of about 10 below which the accretion to the BH is quenched. We suggest that the shadowing effect allows even stellar-remnant BHs to grow rapidly enough to become highredshift supermassive BHs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)62-79
Number of pages18
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume469
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017 Jul 1

Keywords

  • Cosmology: theory
  • Quasars: supermassive black holes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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