Radiative Transfer in Relativistic Accretion-Disk Winds

Abstract

Radiative transfer in a relativistic accretion disk wind is examined under the plane-parallel approximation in the fully special relativistic treatment. For an equilibrium flow, where the flow speed and the source function are constant, the emergent intensity is analytically obtained. In such an equilibrium flow the usual limb-darkening effect does not appear, since the source function is constant. Due to the Doppler and aberration effects associated with the relativistic motion of winds, however, the emergent intensity is strongly enhanced toward the flow direction. This is the {\it relativistic peaking effect}. We thus carefully treat and estimate the appearance of relativistic winds and jets, when we observe them in an arbitrary direction.