A FAST AND ACCURATE CALCULATION SCHEME FOR IONIZATION DEGREES IN PROTOPLANETARY AND CIRCUMPLANETARY DISKS WITH CHARGED DUST GRAINS

Journal Article · Sat Dec 10 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/743/1/53· OSTI ID:22004517

Fujii, Yuri I; Okuzumi, Satoshi; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 (Japan)

We develop a fast and accurate calculation method for ionization degrees in protoplanetary and circumplanetary disks including dust grains. We apply our method to calculate the ionization degree of circumplanetary disks. It is important to understand the structure and evolution of protoplanetary /circumplanetary disks since they are thought to be the sites of planet/satellite formation. The turbulence that causes gas accretion is supposed to be driven by magnetorotational instability (MRI) that occurs only when the ionization degree is high enough for magnetic field to be coupled to gas. We calculate the ionization degrees in circumplanetary disks to estimate the sizes of MRI-inactive regions. We properly include the effect of dust grains because they efficiently capture charged particles and make ionization degree lower. Inclusion of dust grains complicates the reaction equations and requires expensive computation. In order to accelerate the calculation of ionization reactions, we develop a semianalytic method based on the charge distribution model proposed previously. This method enables us to study the ionization state of disks for a wide range of model parameters. For a previous model of circum-Jovian disk, we find that an MRI-inactive region covers almost all regions even without dust grains. This suggests that the gas accretion rates in circumplanetary disks are much smaller than previously thought.

• OSTI ID: 22004517
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 743; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS
CHARGE DISTRIBUTION
DUSTS
IONIZATION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PROTOPLANETS