Equatorially Asymmetric Magnetic Fields and Their Impact on Black Hole Accretion Dynamics

Abstract We investigate the impact of equatorial asymmetry in the magnetic field geometry on accretion dynamics around a spinning black hole using axisymmetric general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations. We consider a Fishbone–Moncrief torus orbiting a Kerr black hole with spin parameter a = 0.9375, threaded by large-scale magnetic fields that are asymmetric about the equatorial plane. The degree of equatorial asymmetry in the magnetic field is parameterized by an angle, with values of 30°, 45°, and 60°. We examine how this equatorially asymmetric initial magnetic field configuration influences the magnetic field structure, accretion flow morphology, and angular momentum transport across a range of initial plasma beta values ( β = 0.007, 0.005, 0.001). We find that such deformation in the magnetic field leads to noticeable changes in the inner disk structure, asymmetric outflow patterns in the poloidal plane, and time-dependent variations in accretion rates. These effects are generally more pronounced at lower beta values, where magnetic pressure dominates; in particular, the 30° case at β = 0.001 exhibits strong and persistent asymmetric inflows and outflows. Our results demonstrate that equatorially asymmetric magnetic field configurations can significantly influence the structure and variability of relativistic accretion flows. These findings motivate future extensions to full three-dimensional studies, where black hole magnetospheres can be explored in a more general setting.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Astrophysical Journal
Published
2026-02-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ae3f25
Primary Topic
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Equatorially Asymmetric Magnetic Fields and Their Impact on Black Hole Accretion Dynamics

Ishika Palit, Indu K. Dihingia, Hsiang-Yi Karen Yang, Yosuke Mizuno
The Astrophysical Journal
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
article

Equatorially Asymmetric Magnetic Fields and Their Impact on Black Hole Accretion Dynamics

Ishika Palit, Indu K. Dihingia, Hsiang-Yi Karen Yang, Yosuke Mizuno
article en

Abstract

Abstract We investigate the impact of equatorial asymmetry in the magnetic field geometry on accretion dynamics around a spinning black hole using axisymmetric general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations. We consider a Fishbone–Moncrief torus orbiting a Kerr black hole with spin parameter a = 0.9375, threaded by large-scale magnetic fields that are asymmetric about the equatorial plane. The degree of equatorial asymmetry in the magnetic field is parameterized by an angle, with values of 30°, 45°, and 60°. We examine how this equatorially asymmetric initial magnetic field configuration influences the magnetic field structure, accretion flow morphology, and angular momentum transport across a range of initial plasma beta values ( β = 0.007, 0.005, 0.001). We find that such deformation in the magnetic field leads to noticeable changes in the inner disk structure, asymmetric outflow patterns in the poloidal plane, and time-dependent variations in accretion rates. These effects are generally more pronounced at lower beta values, where magnetic pressure dominates; in particular, the 30° case at β = 0.001 exhibits strong and persistent asymmetric inflows and outflows. Our results demonstrate that equatorially asymmetric magnetic field configurations can significantly influence the structure and variability of relativistic accretion flows. These findings motivate future extensions to full three-dimensional studies, where black hole magnetospheres can be explored in a more general setting.

The Astrophysical JournalVol. 999(1)
Openalex Percentile: Top 67%
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
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Equatorially Asymmetric Magnetic Fields and Their Impact on Black Hole Accretion Dynamics — Ishika Palit, Indu K. Dihingia, et al. · The Astrophysical Journal (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS