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Studying the Galactic Central Engine from Space Observatories

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Observatories in Earth Orbit and Beyond

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 166))

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Abstract

Three general models have been constructed for the fantastically powerful “central engine” that powers the enormous energy output from quasars and active galactic nuclei (AGN). One model assumes a rapidly rotating accretion disk around a central black hole (however the disks, thick or thin, are subject to violent instabilities). Another assumes that in some postulated circuitry energy is extracted from the rotational portion of the deepest potential hole known, a black hole. Both models appear implausible.

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References

  • Greyber, H.D., 1990 Strong Magnetic Fields, Galaxy Formation and the Galactic Engine in 14th Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, New York: Annual of the New York Acad. of Sciences, 571 239, and earlier references cited therein.

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© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Greyber, H.D. (1990). Studying the Galactic Central Engine from Space Observatories. In: Kondo, Y. (eds) Observatories in Earth Orbit and Beyond. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 166. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3454-5_86

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3454-5_86

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5528-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3454-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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