Low-frequency, one-armed oscillations in black hole accretion flows obtained from direct 3D MHD simulations

Abstract

We present the results of global 3D MHD simulations of optically thin black hole accretion flows. The initial disk is embedded in a low density, spherical, isothermal halo and threaded by weak (β ≡ P_gas/P_mag = 100) toroidal magnetic field. General relativistic effects are simulated by using the pseudo-Newtonian potential. When the Maxwell stress in the innermost region of the disk is reduced due to the loss of magnetic flux or by decrease of disk temperature, inner torus is created around 4 – 10r_s. We found that in such an inner torus, one-armed (m = 1) density enhancement grows and that the inner torus oscillates quasi-periodically. The oscillation period is about 0.1s when we assume a 10M_⊙ black hole. This frequency agrees with the low-frequency QPOs observed in low/hard state of black hole candidates. The disk ejects winds whose opening angle is about 30 degree. The maximum velocity of the wind is about 0.05c.