Numerical simulations of convective accretion flows in three dimensions
Apr, 200012 pages
Published in:
- Astrophys.J.Lett. 537 (2000) L27
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0004006 [astro-ph]
DOI:
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Abstract: (arXiv)
Advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs) are known to be convectively unstable for low values of the viscosity parameter alpha. Two-dimensional axisymmetric hydrodynamic simulations of such flows reveal a radial density profile which is significantly flatter than the rho~r^{-3/2} expected for a canonical ADAF. The modified density profile is the result of inward transport of angular momentum by axisymmetric convective eddies. We present three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of convective ADAFs which are free of the assumption of axisymmetry. We find that the results are qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those obtained with two-dimensional simulations. In particular, the convective eddies are nearly axisymmetric and transport angular momentum inward.References(11)
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