MHD simulations of disk-star interaction

TL;DR

This paper reviews how numerical MHD simulations enhance understanding of disk-star interactions, including accretion processes, magnetic field effects, and related phenomena in star-disk systems.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent 2D and 3D MHD simulation results on disk-magnetosphere interactions and related astrophysical processes.

Findings

Insights into disk-locking mechanisms

Modeling of spectra from funnel streams

Understanding of accretion with complex magnetic fields

Abstract

We discuss a number of topics relevant to disk-magnetosphere interaction and how numerical simulations illuminate them. The topics include: (1) disk-magnetosphere interaction and the problem of disk-locking; (2) the wind problem; (3) structure of the magnetospheric flow, hot spots at the star's surface, and the inner disk region; (4) modeling of spectra from 3D funnel streams; (5) accretion to a star with a complex magnetic field; (6) accretion through 3D instabilities; (7) magnetospheric gap and survival of protoplanets. Results of both 2D and 3D simulations are discussed.