Accretion discs with non-zero central torque

ABSTRACT Whether tidal disruption events circularize or accrete directly as highly eccentric discs is the subject of current research and appears to depend sensitively on the disc thermodynamics. One aspect of this problem that has not received much attention is that a highly eccentric disc must have a strong, non-hydrostatic variation of the disc scale height around each orbit. As a complement to numerical simulations carried out by other groups, we investigate the dynamical structure of TDE discs using the non-linear theory of eccentric accretion discs. In particular, we study the variation of physical quantities around each elliptical orbit, taking into account the dynamical vertical structure, as well as viscous dissipation and radiative cooling. The solutions include a structure similar to the nozzle-like structure seen in simulations. We find evidence for the existence of the thermal instability in highly eccentric discs dominated by radiation pressure. For thermally stable solutions many of our models indicate a failure of the α-prescription for turbulent stresses. We discuss the consequences of our results for the structure of eccentric TDE discs.

Download Full-text

No-z Model for Magnetic Fields of Different Astrophysical Objects and Stability of the Solutions

Data ◽

10.3390/data6010004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 4

Author(s):

Evgeny Mikhailov ◽

Daniela Boneva ◽

Maria Pashentseva

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Field ◽

Magnetic Fields ◽

Large Scale ◽

Point Of View ◽

Accretion Discs ◽

Wide Range ◽

Astrophysical Objects ◽

Alpha Effect ◽

The Stability ◽

The Magnetic Field

A wide range of astrophysical objects, such as the Sun, galaxies, stars, planets, accretion discs etc., have large-scale magnetic fields. Their generation is often based on the dynamo mechanism, which is connected with joint action of the alpha-effect and differential rotation. They compete with the turbulent diffusion. If the dynamo is intensive enough, the magnetic field grows, else it decays. The magnetic field evolution is described by Steenbeck—Krause—Raedler equations, which are quite difficult to be solved. So, for different objects, specific two-dimensional models are used. As for thin discs (this shape corresponds to galaxies and accretion discs), usually, no-z approximation is used. Some of the partial derivatives are changed by the algebraic expressions, and the solenoidality condition is taken into account as well. The field generation is restricted by the equipartition value and saturates if the field becomes comparable with it. From the point of view of mathematical physics, they can be characterized as stable points of the equations. The field can come to these values monotonously or have oscillations. It depends on the type of the stability of these points, whether it is a node or focus. Here, we study the stability of such points and give examples for astrophysical applications.

Download Full-text

Nuclear burning in collapsar accretion discs

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/staa3002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 499 (3) ◽

pp. 4097-4113 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yossef Zenati ◽

Daniel M Siegel ◽

Brian D Metzger ◽

Hagai B Perets

Keyword(s):

Angular Momentum ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Nuclear Reactions ◽

Reaction Network ◽

Accretion Discs ◽

Late Time ◽

Rotating Stars ◽

Stellar Envelope ◽

Nuclear Burning ◽

R Process

ABSTRACT The core collapse of massive, rapidly-rotating stars are thought to be the progenitors of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRB) and their associated hyperenergetic supernovae (SNe). At early times after the collapse, relatively low angular momentum material from the infalling stellar envelope will circularize into an accretion disc located just outside the black hole horizon, resulting in high accretion rates necessary to power a GRB jet. Temperatures in the disc mid-plane at these small radii are sufficiently high to dissociate nuclei, while outflows from the disc can be neutron-rich and may synthesize r-process nuclei. However, at later times, and for high progenitor angular momentum, the outer layers of the stellar envelope can circularize at larger radii ≳ 107 cm, where nuclear reactions can take place in the disc mid-plane (e.g. 4He + 16O → 20Ne + γ). Here we explore the effects of nuclear burning on collapsar accretion discs and their outflows by means of hydrodynamical α-viscosity torus simulations coupled to a 19-isotope nuclear reaction network, which are designed to mimic the late infall epochs in collapsar evolution when the viscous time of the torus has become comparable to the envelope fall-back time. Our results address several key questions, such as the conditions for quiescent burning and accretion versus detonation and the generation of 56Ni in disc outflows, which we show could contribute significantly to powering GRB SNe. Being located in the slowest, innermost layers of the ejecta, the latter could provide the radioactive heating source necessary to make the spectral signatures of r-process elements visible in late-time GRB-SNe spectra.

Download Full-text