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| Paper: |
Numerical Simulations of MHD Turbulence in Accretion Disks |
| Volume: |
406, Numerical Modeling of Space Plasma Flows: ASTRONUM - 2008 |
| Page: |
9 |
| Authors: |
Fromang, S.; Papaloizou, J.; Lesur, G.; Heinemann, T. |
| 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 within the disc. In this paper, we present a set of numerical simulations of MRI–induced MHD turbulence in which we investigate the dependence of α, the rate of angular momentum transport, on these coefficients. We present various methods used to control the relative amount of physical versus numerical dissipation in such calculations. The results of the simulations 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. |
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