Realizability of stationary spherically symmetric transonic accretion

Abstract

The spherically symmetric stationary transonic (Bondi) flow is considered a classic example of an accretion flow. This flow, however, is along a separatrix, which is usually not physically realizable. We demonstrate, using a pedagogical example, that it is the dynamics which selects the transonic flow.

4 pages in REVTeX with 2 figures. Typos have been corrected and some alterations have been made in the version published in Physical Review E