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MHD turbulence in accretion disks: the importance of themagnetic Prandtl number

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 January 2010

T. Montmerle ,
D. Ehrenreich ,
A.-M. Lagrange ,
S. Fromang ,
J. Papaloizou ,
G. Lesur  and
T. Heinemann
S. Fromang
Affiliation:
CEA, IRFU, SAp, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
J. Papaloizou
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, CB3 0WA, UK
G. Lesur
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, CB3 0WA, UK
T. Heinemann
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, CB3 0WA, UK
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Abstract

The magnetorotational instability (MRI) is the most likely source of MHD turbulence in accretion disks. Recently, it has been realized that microscopic diffusion coefficients (viscosity and resistivity) are important in determining the saturated state of the turbulence and thereby the rate of angular momentum transport. In this paper, we use a set of numerical simulations performed with a variety of numerical methods to investigate the dependance of α, the rate of angular momentum transport, on these coefficients. We show that α is an increasing function of the magnetic Prandtl number Pm, the ratio of viscosity over resistivity. In the absence of a mean field, we also find that MRI–induced MHD turbulence decays at low Pm.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Astronomical Society Publications Series , Volume 41: Physics and Astrophysics of Planetary Systems , 2010 , pp. 167 - 170
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2010

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