Accretion disks in compact stellar systems containing white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes are the principal laboratory for understanding the role of accretion disks in a wide variety of environments from proto-stars to quasars. Recent work on disk instabilities and dynamics has given a new theoretical framework with which to study accretion disks. Modeling of time-dependent phenomena provides new insight into the causes and interpretation of photometric and spectroscopic variability and new constraints on the fundamental physical problem — the origin of viscosity in accretion disks. This book contains expert reviews on the nature of limit cycle thermal instabilities and a variety of closely related topics from the theory of angular momentum transport to eclipse mapping of the disk structure. The result is a comprehensive contemporary survey of the structure and evolution of accretion disks in compact binary systems.

Advection-dominated disks are replacing the standard model, and this book provides the first extensive examination of their various aspects. Topics discussed include the global disk structure, thermal stability, two-temperature regimes, electron-positron pair production, disk spectra, the relation to the outburst behaviour of X-ray transients and hard-soft spectral transitions, the effects of radiation drag force, jet formation and possible nucleosynthesis in the advection-dominated disks. The papers also address some more fundamental issues concerning the basic physics of accretion disks, including the origin of disk viscosity, the observational appearance of the tidal instability. In cataclysmic variables, and the role of self-gravity of accretion disks in relation to stellar systems and to star/planet formation. This book will be required reading for any astronomer, cosmologist or astrophysicist seeking an up-to-date overview of this topic.

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The first comprehensive and up-to-date review of our new understanding of accretion disks around black holes - with chapters from experts from around the world.