Publication date: Nov 2006
Abstract:
We show that in the equatorial plane of marginally stable thick discs
(with uniformly distributed specific angular momentum l(r, θ) =
const) the orbital velocity relative to the LNRF has a positive radial
gradient in the vicinity of black holes with a > 0.99979. The change
of sign of the velocity gradient occurs just above the center of the
thick toroidal discs, in the region where stable circular geodesics of
the Kerr spacetime are allowed. The global character of the phenomenon
is given in terms of topology changes of the von Zeipel surfaces
(equivalent to equivelocity surfaces in the tori with l(r, θ) =
const). Toroidal von Zeipel surfaces exist around the circle
corresponding to the minimum of the equatorial LNRF velocity profile,
indicating a possibility of development of some vertical instabilities
in those parts of marginally stable tori with positive gradient of the
LNRF velocity. Eventual oscillatory frequencies connected with the
phenomenon are given in a coordinate-independent form.
Authors:
Stuchlík, Zdeněk; Slaný, Petr; Török, Gabriel;