An accretion disk forms when hot gas swirls around a small compact object like a neutron star or black hole. The gas heats up to high temperatures and emits radiation. Radiation from the hot gas leads to high-energy particles being formed. This article describes interactions between these particles emitted from the swirling hot gas around an object called LS I + 61 303. Understanding the radiation from particles emitted in this accretion disk helps astronomers better understand this type of energetic object.

http://www.raa-journal.org/raa/index.php/raa/article/view/619