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dc.contributor.advisorPsaltis, Dimitriosen_US
dc.contributor.authorPessah, Martin Elias
dc.creatorPessah, Martin Eliasen_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-12-05T22:28:22Z
dc.date.available2011-12-05T22:28:22Z
dc.date.issued2007en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10150/194324
dc.description.abstractIt is currently believed that angular momentum transport in accretion disks is mediated by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability (MRI). More than 15 years after its discovery, an accretion disk model that incorporates the MRI as the mechanism driving the MHD turbulence is still lacking. This dissertation constitutes the first in a series of steps towards establishing the formalism and methodology needed to move beyond the standard accretion disk model and incorporating the MRI as the mechanism enabling the accretion process. I begin by presenting a local linear stability analysis of a compressible, differentially rotating flow and addressing the evolution of the MRI beyond the weak-field limit when magnetic tension forces due to strong toroidal fields are considered. Then, I derive the first formal analytical proof showing that, during the exponential growth of the instability, the mean total stress produced by correlated MHD fluctuations is positive and leads to a net outward flux of angular momentum. I also show that some characteristics of the MHD stresses that are determined during this initial phase are roughly preserved in the turbulent saturated state observed in local numerical simulations. Motivated by these results, I present the first mean-field MHD model for angular momentum transport driven by the MRI that is able to account for a number of correlations among stresses found in local numerical simulations. I point out the relevance of a new type of correlation that couples the dynamical evolution of the Reynolds and Maxwell stresses and plays a key role in developing and sustaining the MHD turbulence. Finally, I address how the turbulent transport of angular momentum depends on the magnitude of the local shear. I show that turbulent MHD stresses in accretion disks cannot be described in terms of shear-viscosity.
dc.language.isoENen_US
dc.publisherThe University of Arizona.en_US
dc.rightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.en_US
dc.subjectaccretion disksen_US
dc.subjectangular momentum transporten_US
dc.subjectmagnetorotational instabilityen_US
dc.subjectmagnetohydrodynamic turbulenceen_US
dc.titleMagnetohydrodynamic Turbulence and Angular Momentum Transport in Accretion Disksen_US
dc.typetexten_US
dc.typeElectronic Dissertationen_US
dc.contributor.chairPsaltis, Dimitriosen_US
dc.identifier.oclc659747141en_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Arizonaen_US
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen_US
dc.contributor.committeememberDave, Romeelen_US
dc.contributor.committeememberEisenstein, Danielen_US
dc.contributor.committeememberFan, Xiaohuien_US
dc.contributor.committeememberMilsom, Drewen_US
dc.identifier.proquest2070en_US
thesis.degree.disciplineAstronomyen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineGraduate Collegeen_US
thesis.degree.namePhDen_US
refterms.dateFOA2018-06-15T10:52:15Z
html.description.abstractIt is currently believed that angular momentum transport in accretion disks is mediated by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability (MRI). More than 15 years after its discovery, an accretion disk model that incorporates the MRI as the mechanism driving the MHD turbulence is still lacking. This dissertation constitutes the first in a series of steps towards establishing the formalism and methodology needed to move beyond the standard accretion disk model and incorporating the MRI as the mechanism enabling the accretion process. I begin by presenting a local linear stability analysis of a compressible, differentially rotating flow and addressing the evolution of the MRI beyond the weak-field limit when magnetic tension forces due to strong toroidal fields are considered. Then, I derive the first formal analytical proof showing that, during the exponential growth of the instability, the mean total stress produced by correlated MHD fluctuations is positive and leads to a net outward flux of angular momentum. I also show that some characteristics of the MHD stresses that are determined during this initial phase are roughly preserved in the turbulent saturated state observed in local numerical simulations. Motivated by these results, I present the first mean-field MHD model for angular momentum transport driven by the MRI that is able to account for a number of correlations among stresses found in local numerical simulations. I point out the relevance of a new type of correlation that couples the dynamical evolution of the Reynolds and Maxwell stresses and plays a key role in developing and sustaining the MHD turbulence. Finally, I address how the turbulent transport of angular momentum depends on the magnitude of the local shear. I show that turbulent MHD stresses in accretion disks cannot be described in terms of shear-viscosity.


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