X-ray reflected spectra from accretion disk models. I. Constant density atmospheres

Understand

We present new models for illuminated accretion disks, their structure and reprocessed emission.

• We consider the effects of incident X-rays on the surface of an accretion disk by solving simultaneously the equations of radiative transfer, energy balance and ionization equilibrium over a large range of column densities.
• We assume plane-parallel geometry and azimuthal symmetry, such that each calculation corresponds to a ring at a given distance from the central object.
• Our models include recent and complete atomic data for K-shell processes of the iron and oxygen isonuclear sequences.