An Overview of Numerical Simulations in Accretion Physics

TL;DR

This paper reviews various numerical simulation techniques used in accretion physics to model complex processes around compact objects and protoplanetary disks, highlighting their methodologies and implications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of different simulation methods and discusses their applications in modeling accretion phenomena in astrophysics.

Findings

Different simulation branches are outlined and compared.

Implications for modeling accretion around black holes, neutron stars, and disks.

Highlights the importance of simulations in understanding accretion processes.

Abstract

Accretion physics studies the process of gravitational capture of ambient matter by massive stars. The background processes are very challenging to observe and measure due to the extreme conditions in these systems. Numerical simulations play a crucial role in accretion physics because they provide the only practical method to model the complex processes occurring in accretion disks. In this review, we outline different branches of numerical simulations, such as hydrodynamic simulations, magnetohydrodynamic simulations, and Monte-Carlo simulations, and their methodology, and we discuss possible implications for modeling accretion physics around black holes, neutron stars, and protoplanetary disks.