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Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convection in radiation-dominated accretion disks

Publication ,  Journal Article
Agol, E; Krolik, J; Turner, NJ; Stone, JM
Published in: Astrophys. J. (USA)

The standard equilibrium for radiation-dominated accretion disks has long been known to be viscously, thermally, and convectively unstable, but the nonlinear development of these instabilities - and hence the actual state of such disks - has not yet been identified. By performing local two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of disks, the authors demonstrate that convective motions can release heat sufficiently rapidly as to substantially alter the vertical structure of the disks. If the dissipation rate within a vertical column is proportional to its mass, the disk settles into a new configuration that is thinner than the standard radiation-supported equilibrium by a factor of 2. If, on the other hand, the vertically integrated dissipation rate is proportional to the vertically integrated total pressure, the disk is subject to the well-known thermal instability. Convection, however, biases the development of this instability toward collapse. The end result of such a collapse is a gas-pressure-dominated equilibrium at the original column density

Duke Scholars

Published In

Astrophys. J. (USA)

DOI

Volume

558

Issue

2

Start / End Page

543 / 552

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5109 Space sciences
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
  • 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
 

Citation

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Agol, E., Krolik, J., Turner, N. J., & Stone, J. M. (n.d.). Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convection in radiation-dominated accretion disks. Astrophys. J. (USA), 558(2), 543–552. https://doi.org/10.1086/322277
Agol, E., J. Krolik, N. J. Turner, and J. M. Stone. “Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convection in radiation-dominated accretion disks.” Astrophys. J. (USA) 558, no. 2 (n.d.): 543–52. https://doi.org/10.1086/322277.
Agol E, Krolik J, Turner NJ, Stone JM. Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convection in radiation-dominated accretion disks. Astrophys J (USA). 558(2):543–52.
Agol, E., et al. “Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convection in radiation-dominated accretion disks.” Astrophys. J. (USA), vol. 558, no. 2, pp. 543–52. Manual, doi:10.1086/322277.
Agol E, Krolik J, Turner NJ, Stone JM. Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convection in radiation-dominated accretion disks. Astrophys J (USA). 558(2):543–552.

Published In

Astrophys. J. (USA)

DOI

Volume

558

Issue

2

Start / End Page

543 / 552

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5109 Space sciences
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
  • 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences