Radial transport of large-scale magnetic fields in accretion disks. I. Steady solutions and an upper limit on the vertical field strength

Abstract

Large-scale magnetic fields are key ingredients of magnetically driven disk accretion. We study how large-scale poloidal fields evolve in accretion disks, with the primary aim of quantifying the viability of magnetic accretion mechanisms in protoplanetary disks. We employ a kinematic mean-field model for poloidal field transport and focus on steady states where inward advection of a field balances with outward diffusion due to effective resistivities. We analytically derive the steady-state radial distribution of poloidal fields in highly conducting accretion disks. The analytic solution reveals an upper limit on the strength of large-scale vertical fields attainable in steady states. Any excess poloidal field will diffuse away within a finite time, and we demonstrate this with time-dependent numerical calculations of the mean-field equations. We apply this upper limit to large-scale vertical fields threading protoplanetary disks. We find that the maximum attainable strength is about 0.1 G at 1 AU, and about 1 mG at 10 AU from the central star. When combined with recent magnetic accretion models, the maximum field strength translates into the maximum steady-state accretion rate of 10-7 M yr-1, in agreement with observations. We also find that the maximum field strength is 1 kG at the surface of the central star provided that the disk extends down to the stellar surface. This implies that any excess stellar poloidal field of strength ≳ kG can be transported to the surrounding disk. This might in part resolve the magnetic flux problem in star formation. © 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.