Angular Momentum Loss in Low Mass Accretion Disks

Abstract

We review mechanisms for the transport of angular momentum in accretion disks that are low mass, in the sense that the gravitational forces produced by the material in these disks has a negligible effect on disk dynamics. There is no established consensus on how this transport takes place. We note that for phenomenological reasons the traditional $α$ model is probably not a good description of real disks. We discuss models in which angular momentum transport is driven by shocks, and by magnetic field instabilities. The latter is more promising, but requires a dynamo. We note that the direction of angular momentum transport due to convection in a conducting disk is not known as competing mechanisms are at work. We briefly discuss a number of possible dynamo mechanisms, and their problems. We then give a detailed exposition of the internal wave driven dynamo model, in which internal waves excited at large radii drive an $α-Ω$ dynamo.