A unified accretion disc model for supermassive black holes in galaxy formation simulations: method and implementation

Understand

It is well established that supermassive black hole (SMBH) feedback is crucial for regulating the evolution of massive, if not all, galaxies.

• However, modelling the interplay between SMBHs and their host galaxies is challenging due to the vast dynamic range.
• Previous simulations have utilized simple subgrid models for SMBH accretion, while recent advancements track the properties of the unresolved accretion disc, usually based on the thin $\alpha$-disc model.
• However, this neglects accretion in the radiatively inefficient regime, expected to occur through a thick disc for a significant portion of an SMBH's lifetime.