Comprehensive analysis of magnetospheric gaps around Kerr black holes using 1D GRPIC simulations

Understand

Spark gaps are likely the source of plasma in active black hole (BH) magnetospheres.

• In this paper, we present results of 1D general-relativistic particle-in-cell simulations of a starved BH magnetosphere with a realistic treatment of inverse Compton scattering and pair production, for a broad range of conditions, run times longer than in previous studies, and different setups.
• We find that following the initial discharge, the system undergoes gradual evolution over prolonged time until either, restoring the vacuum state or reaching a state of quasi-periodic oscillations, depending on the spectral shape and luminosity of the ambient radiation field.
• The oscillations occur near the null charge surface in cases where the global magnetospheric current is in the direction defined by the product of the asymptotic Goldreich-Julian charge density and the radial velocity, while they occur near the boundary of the simulation box when it is the opposite direction (return current).