Toward realistic simulations of magneto-thermal winds from weakly-ionized protoplanetary disks

TL;DR

This paper presents advanced global MHD simulations of protoplanetary disks incorporating ambipolar diffusion, Ohmic resistivity, and realistic thermodynamics to better understand magneto-thermal winds and angular momentum removal.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive simulation framework that includes detailed ionization chemistry and radiation effects, advancing realistic modeling of disk winds.

Findings

Laminar disk structure between 1-5 au with magnetocentrifugal winds

Inclusion of ambipolar diffusion affects wind launching

Enhanced thermodynamic modeling improves realism

Abstract

Protoplanetary disks (PPDs) accrete onto their central T Tauri star via magnetic stresses. When the effect of ambipolar diffusion (AD) is included, and in the presence of a vertical magnetic field, the disk remains laminar between 1-5 au, and a magnetocentrifugal disk wind forms that provides an important mechanism for removing angular momentum. We present global MHD simulations of PPDs that include Ohmic resistivity and AD, where the time-dependent gas-phase electron and ion fractions are computed under FUV and X-ray ionization with a simplified recombination chemistry. To investigate whether the mass loading of the wind is potentially affected by the limited vertical extent of our existing simulations, we attempt to develop a model of a realistic disk atmosphere. To this end, by accounting for stellar irradiation and diffuse reprocessing of radiation, we aim at improving our models towards more realistic thermodynamic properties.