2018/10/24 by Daniel A. Gole, Daniel. A. Gole, Jacob B. Simon
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamic Systems and Engines #Ambipolar diffusion #Angular momentum #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Classical mechanics #Computational physics #Ion #Ionization #Laminar flow #Magnetic diffusivity #Magnetic field #Magnetohydrodynamics #Magnetorotational instability #Mechanics #Nuclear physics #Physics #Plasma #Turbulence #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aae823
12 pages, 13 figures
arxiv created 2018/10/24 · openalex publication_date 2018/12/10 · arxiv updated 2018/12/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract We carry out a series of local, shearing-box simulations of the outer regions of protoplanetary disks, where ambipolar diffusion is important due to low ionization levels, to better characterize the nature of turbulence and angular momentum transport in these disks. These simulations are divided into two groups, one with far-ultraviolet (FUV) ionization included, and one without FUV. In both cases, we explore a large range in diffusivity values. We find that in the simulations without FUV, the properties of the turbulence are similar to the unstratified simulations of Bai & Stone; for a given diffusivity, the magnetorotational instability (MRI) can still be present so long as the magnetic field is sufficiently weak. Furthermore, the dynamics of the midplane in these simulations are primarily controlled by the MRI. In the FUV simulations on the other hand, the MRI-active FUV layers transport strong toroidal magnetic flux to the midplane, which shuts off the MRI. Instead, angular momentum transport at the midplane is dominated by laminar magnetic fields, resulting in lower levels of turbulent Maxwell stress compared to the no-FUV simulations. Finally, we perform a temporal correlation analysis on the FUV simulations, confirming our result that the dynamics in the midplane region is strongly controlled by the FUV-ionized layers.