GRMHD Simulations of Magnetized Accretion Disk/Jet: Variabilities of Black Holes and Spectral Energy Distributions in Magnetic States

We perform three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of a near-maximally spinning black hole (spin parameter a=0.998) with varying initial magnetic field geometries, systematically exploring the parameter space connecting magnetically arrested disk (MAD), intermediate (INT), and standard and normal evolution (SANE) accretion states. The magnetic flux threading the black hole horizon emerges as the fundamental state variable controlling jet efficiency, flow magnetization, and radiative output across all three states. We introduce complementary diagnostics—broadband spectral energy distributions spanning radio through hard X-ray frequencies and time-resolved X-ray light curves—that together connect simulation dynamics directly to multiwavelength observables. The radiative output follows a clear MAD > INT > SANE hierarchy in time-averaged luminosity, mean X-ray emission, as well as variability. Furthermore, MAD exhibits the highest fractional variability through quasi-periodic magnetic flux eruption events, and INT and SANE show moderate variability driven by episodic reconnection and stochastic MRI turbulence, respectively. Scaling to GRS 1915+105, Cyg X-1, and HLX-1, we demonstrate that all twelve temporal classes of GRS 1915+105 map naturally onto our three magnetic states, Cyg X-1’s persistent hard state is reproduced by a sustained INT configuration, and HLX-1’s extreme luminosities arise through efficient Blandford–Znajek extraction in MAD states scaled to higher black hole mass.

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Publication Details

Journal
Universe
Published
2026-05-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/universe12050142
Primary Topic
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

GRMHD Simulations of Magnetized Accretion Disk/Jet: Variabilities of Black Holes and Spectral Energy Distributions in Magnetic States

Rohan Raha, Banibrata Mukhopadhyay, Koushik Chatterjee
Universe
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
article

GRMHD Simulations of Magnetized Accretion Disk/Jet: Variabilities of Black Holes and Spectral Energy Distributions in Magnetic States

Rohan Raha, Banibrata Mukhopadhyay, Koushik Chatterjee
article en

Abstract

We perform three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of a near-maximally spinning black hole (spin parameter a=0.998) with varying initial magnetic field geometries, systematically exploring the parameter space connecting magnetically arrested disk (MAD), intermediate (INT), and standard and normal evolution (SANE) accretion states. The magnetic flux threading the black hole horizon emerges as the fundamental state variable controlling jet efficiency, flow magnetization, and radiative output across all three states. We introduce complementary diagnostics—broadband spectral energy distributions spanning radio through hard X-ray frequencies and time-resolved X-ray light curves—that together connect simulation dynamics directly to multiwavelength observables. The radiative output follows a clear MAD > INT > SANE hierarchy in time-averaged luminosity, mean X-ray emission, as well as variability. Furthermore, MAD exhibits the highest fractional variability through quasi-periodic magnetic flux eruption events, and INT and SANE show moderate variability driven by episodic reconnection and stochastic MRI turbulence, respectively. Scaling to GRS 1915+105, Cyg X-1, and HLX-1, we demonstrate that all twelve temporal classes of GRS 1915+105 map naturally onto our three magnetic states, Cyg X-1’s persistent hard state is reproduced by a sustained INT configuration, and HLX-1’s extreme luminosities arise through efficient Blandford–Znajek extraction in MAD states scaled to higher black hole mass.

UniverseVol. 12(5)
University of Toronto (CA), Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CA), Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IN)
Science and Engineering Research Board
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
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