FEEDBACK FROM CENTRAL BLACK HOLES IN ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES: TWO-DIMENSIONAL MODELS COMPARED TO ONE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 737; no. 1; pp. 26 - jQuery1323905154880='48'
• Main Authors: Novak, Gregory S., Ostriker, Jeremiah P., Ciotti, Luca
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP 10.08.2011
• Subjects: Astronomy; ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BINARY STARS; BLACK HOLES; Black holes (astronomy); Cooling; Earth, ocean, space; ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS; EVOLUTION; Exact sciences and technology; FEEDBACK; FLUID MECHANICS; GALAXIES; GALAXY NUCLEI; HYDRODYNAMICS; INSTABILITY; Luminosity; MECHANICS; ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; RADIATION PRESSURE; SIMULATION; STAR EVOLUTION; STARS; Stellar winds; SUPERNOVAE; Two dimensional; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; VARIABLE STARS; Black holes; Accretion rate; Cooling flow; Luminosity; Fragmentation; Type I supernova; Momentum transfer; Star formation; Feedback; galaxies: active; Galaxy nuclei; Modelling; galaxies: nuclei; Quasars; Dimensionality; quasars: general; Accretion; Elliptical galaxies; Theoretical study; Stellar evolution; Two dimensional model; Radiation pressure; Active galaxies; galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD; Hydrodynamic instability; One dimensional model; Angular momentum; Cosmology; Two-dimensional calculations; Type II supernova; Energy transfer
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/737/1/26

We extend the black hole (BH) feedback models of Ciotti, Ostriker, and Proga to two dimensions. In this paper, we focus on identifying the differences between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations. We examine a normal, isolated L * galaxy subject to the cooling flow instability of gas in the inner regions. Allowance is made for subsequent star formation, Type Ia and Type II supernovae, radiation pressure, and inflow to the central BH from mildly rotating galactic gas which is being replenished as a normal consequence of stellar evolution. The central BH accretes some of the infalling gas and expels a conical wind with mass, momentum, and energy flux derived from both observational and theoretical studies. The galaxy is assumed to have low specific angular momentum in analogy with the existing one-dimensional case in order to isolate the effect of dimensionality. The code then tracks the interaction of the outflowing radiation and winds with the galactic gas and their effects on regulating the accretion. After matching physical modeling to the extent possible between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional treatments, we find essentially similar results in terms of BH growth and duty cycle (fraction of the time above a given fraction of the Eddington luminosity). In the two-dimensional calculations, the cool shells forming at 0.1-1 kpc from the center are Rayleigh-Taylor unstable to fragmentation, leading to a somewhat higher accretion rate, less effective feedback, and a more irregular pattern of bursting compared with the one-dimensional case.