Liberation of specific angular momentum through radiation and scattering
  in relativistic black-hole accretion discs
  A key component of explaining the array of galaxies observed in the Universe
is the feedback of active galactic nuclei, each powered by a massive black
hole's accretion disc. For accretion to occur, angular momentum must be lost by
that which is accreted. Electromagnetic radiation must offer some respite in
this regard, the contribution for which is quantified in this paper, using
solely general relativity, under the thin-disc regime. Herein, I calculate
extremised situations where photons are entirely responsible for energy removal
in the disc and then extend and relate this to the standard relativistic
accretion disc outlined by Novikov & Thorne, which includes internal
angular-momentum transport. While there is potential for the contribution of
angular-momentum removal from photons to be >~1% out to ~10^4 Schwarzschild
radii if the disc is irradiated and maximally liberated of angular momentum
through inverse Compton scattering, it is more likely of order 10^2
Schwarzschild radii if thermal emission from the disc itself is stronger. The
effect of radiation/scattering is stronger near the horizons of fast-spinning
black holes, but, ultimately, other mechanisms must drive angular-momentum
liberation/transport in accretion discs.
