An improved approach to find the height of the accretion disk

Abstract

Abstract In the present work, we propose an improved approach to find the height of the accretion disks around Kerr black holes. The vertical structure of the disk is obtained using a relativistic continuity equation and finally, the result is expressed in terms of the accretion rate and flow parameters. For different models of thin and slim disks, the expressions of the vertical height of the accretion disk are also been reviewed chronologically. We further discuss the basic assumptions, merits, and demerits of these models. Compared to existing approaches, our analysis is more self-consistent and less axiomatic. Further, we find that disk height is directly proportional to accretion rate which could be important to find out the vertical structure of the accretion disk in different black hole accretion states in a hysteresis cycle.