Accretion through the inner edges of protoplanetary disks by a giant solid state pump

Abstract

At the inner edge of a protoplanetary disk solids are illuminated by stellar light. This illumination heats the solids and creates temperature gradients along their surfaces. Interactions with ambient gas molecules lead to a radial net gas flow. Every illuminated solid particle within the edge is an individual small gas pump transporting gas inward. In total the inner edge can provide local mass flow rates as high as $\dot{M} = 10^{-5} M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$.