Iron line profiles and self-shadowing from relativistic thick accretion discs

Understand

We present Fe Kalpha line profiles from and images of relativistic discs with finite thickness around a rotating black hole using a novel code.

• The line is thought to be produced by iron fluorescence of a relatively cold X-ray illuminated material in the innermost parts of the accretion disc and provides an excellent diagnostic of accretion flows in the vicinity of black holes.
• Previous studies have concentrated on the case of a thin, Keplerian accretion disc.
• This disc must become thicker and sub-Keplerian with increasing accretion rates.