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arXiv · 1302.4287

Dynamics of gas and dust clouds in active galactic nuclei

P. M. Plewa·M. Schartmann·A. Burkert
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Abstract

We analyse the motion of single optically thick clouds in the potential of a central mass under the influence of an anisotropic radiation field ~|cos(θ)|, a model applicable to the inner region of active galactic nuclei. Resulting orbits are analytically soluble for constant cloud column densities. All stable orbits are closed, although they have non-trivial shapes. Furthermore, there exists a stability criterion in the form of a critical inclination, which depends on the luminosity of the central source and the column density of the cloud.

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P. M. Plewa, M. Schartmann, A. Burkert. 2013-03-12. Dynamics of gas and dust clouds in active galactic nuclei. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl%2Fslt025

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