Difference between revisions of "Accretion Disk"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m (bold) |
(rewriting, better grammar and info) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | + | An '''accretion disk''' is the term for a rapidly rotating disk of material that forms around a high-mass compact object, often a [[black hole]]. Accretion disks can also be associated with other high mass, compact objects such as [[white dwarf]] stars and [[[neutron stars]].<ref>[http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/dictionary/index.cfm?Display=Dictionary&Letter=A NASA Dictionary].</ref> In order to conserve angular momentum, as material in the disk moves towards the central mass, it's rotational speed increases as does it's temperature. As a result, accretion disks often emit radiation in the [[x-ray]] and [[gamma ray]] portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. | |
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Astronomy]] | [[Category:Astronomy]] | ||
Revision as of 22:38, July 3, 2008
An accretion disk is the term for a rapidly rotating disk of material that forms around a high-mass compact object, often a black hole. Accretion disks can also be associated with other high mass, compact objects such as white dwarf stars and [[[neutron stars]].[1] In order to conserve angular momentum, as material in the disk moves towards the central mass, it's rotational speed increases as does it's temperature. As a result, accretion disks often emit radiation in the x-ray and gamma ray portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.