Evolution of Accretion Disks With Dead Zones

Steve Lubow

April 08, 2013

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Abstract: A key issue in modeling protostellar disks is the presence of dead zones, midplane regions with little turbulence. Such regions can lead to nonsteady disk evolution and outbursts. I will describe how such outbursts can be understood in terms of an instability cycle involving gravitational and magnetic forms of turbulence. I will discuss some possible effects of dead zones on protostellar and circumplanetary disks.