Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: A brief review is given of the Rossby wave instability in astrophysical discs. In non-self-gravitating discs, around for example a newly forming stars, the instability can be triggered by an axisymmetric bump at some radius r 0 in the disc surface mass-density. It gives rise to exponentially growing non-axisymmetric perturbation ( , m = 1,2,...) in the vicinity of r 0 consisting of anticyclonic vortices. These vortices are regions of high pressure and consequently act to trap dust particles which in turn can facilitate planetesimal growth in proto-planetary discs. The Rossby vortices in the discs around stars and black holes may cause the observed quasi-periodic modulations of the disc's thermal emission.
Source: Fluid Dynamics Research
Authors: R V E Lovelace, M M Romanova
Institution: Cornell University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2014368419