Structure of Protoplanetary Discs with Magnetically Driven Winds

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-18-2018

Publication Title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Volume

475

Issue

4

First page number:

5059

Last page number:

5069

Abstract

We present a new set of analytical solutions to model the steady-state structure of a protoplanetary disc with a magnetically driven wind. Our model implements a parametrization of the stresses involved and the wind launching mechanism in terms of the plasma parameter at the disc midplane, as suggested by the results of recent, local magnetohydrodynamical simulations. When wind mass-loss is accounted for, we find that its rate significantly reduces the disc surface density, particularly in the inner disc region. We also find that models that include wind mass-loss lead to thinner dust layers. As an astrophysical application of our models, we address the case of HL Tau, whose disc exhibits a high accretion rate and efficient dust settling at its midplane. These two observational features are not easy to reconcile with conventional accretion disc theory, where the level of turbulence needed to explain the high accretion rate would prevent a thin dust layer. Our disc model that incorporates both mass-loss and angular momentum removal by a wind is able to account for HL Tau observational constraints concerning its high accretion rate and dust layer thinness.

Keywords

Accretion; Accretion discs; Planetary systems; Protoplanetary discs

Disciplines

Astrophysics and Astronomy

Language

English

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