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accretion disk
(redirected from Accretion disc)

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accretion disk
n.
A disk of interstellar material surrounding a celestial object with an intense gravitational field, such as a black hole.
accretion disk
A spinning disk of gas and dust surrounding a celestial object with an intense gravitational field, such as a star or a black hole. In binary star systems, the gravitational attraction of the denser star can pull matter from the other star into an accretion disk in its own orbit. The material in the accretion disk eventually spirals into the attracting star and adds to its mass. The gas in accretion disks that surround black holes becomes condensed and heated as it is sucked into the hole, emitting x-rays and other radiation that provide evidence for the presence of the black hole.
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In the absence of a significant white dwarf magnetic field, material from the secondary passes through an accretion disc before settling on the surface of the white dwarf.
SDSS J162718.39+120435.0--a dwarf nova a in the period gap by Shears, Jeremy; Brady, Steve; Gansicke, Boris; Krajci, Tom; Miller, Ian; Ogmen, Yenal; Pietz, Jochen / Journal of the British Astronomical Association
In the case of the Crab Nebula (M1), the neutron star was sufficiently close that Chandra could resolve detail in its accretion disc (see Figure 4) and show the jets emerging from its two poles.
Ordinary Meeting, 2008 May 28 held at the Royal Astronomical Society, ... by Ford, Dominic / Journal of the British Astronomical Association
Dr Boyd then presented preliminary results on two eclipsing SW Sex stars, V1315 Aql and V363 Aur, and described a proposed concentrated worldwide observing campaign on the superhumping SW Sex star DW Ursae Majoris, to investigate if there is a correlation between the precession phase of the accretion disc and the depth of eclipses.
Report of the joint meeting of the American Association of Variable ... by Taylor, Melvyn / Journal of the British Astronomical Association
 
 
 
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