Angular momentum transport and thermal stabilization of optically thin, advective accretion flows through large-scale magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper investigates how large-scale magnetic fields influence angular momentum transport and thermal stability in optically thin, advective accretion flows, revealing magnetic fields can support steady accretion and stabilize the disc thermally.

Contribution

It demonstrates that large-scale magnetic fields can enhance angular momentum transport and restore thermal stability in advective accretion discs, a novel insight into magnetic effects on accretion physics.

Findings

Large-scale magnetic fields can support outward angular momentum transport.

Magnetic fields can restore thermal stability in optically thin accretion discs.

Joule heating plays a key role in disc stabilization.

Abstract

Outward transport of angular momentum, as well as viscous and thermal stability, are the necessary criteria for the formation of accretion disc and to radiate steadily. Turbulent motions originating from magneto-rotational instability or hydrodynamic instability can do the required transport. We explore the effect of a large-scale magnetic field (LSMF) over the turbulent transport in an optically thin advective disc. In this work, turbulent transport is represented through the usual Shakura-Sunyaev $\alpha$-viscosity. The evolution of the magnetic field and other variables is found by solving vertically integrated height averaged magnetohydrodynamic equations. Depending on its configuration, the LSMF can support or oppose $\alpha$ in outward transport of angular momentum. Once outward transport of angular momentum is assured, i.e., formation of the disc is confirmed through the combined effect of $\alpha$-viscosity and the LSMF, we explore the impact of the LSMF in thermally stabilizing the disc. As found earlier, we also find that the advection of heat energy becomes zero or negative with increasing accretion rate. That is why at or above a critical accretion rate, the optically thin advective disc becomes thermally unstable. We show however that with the addition of a strong enough magnetic field, the disc regains its thermal stability and Joule heating turns out to play the key role in that. Throughout our analysis the plasma-$\beta$ ($\beta_\mathrm{m}$) remains within the range of 5-$10^3$, which does not impose any restriction in the simultaneous operation of the LSMF and the turbulent transport.