On the Papaloizou-Pringle instability in tidal disruption events

Abstract

We demonstrate that the compact, thick disc formed in a tidal disruption event may be unstable to non-axisymmetric perturbations in the form of the Papaloizou-Pringle instability. We show this can lead to rapid redistribution of angular momentum that can be parameterised in terms of an effective Shakura-Sunyaev $\alpha$ parameter. For remnants that have initially weak magnetic fields, this may be responsible for driving mass accretion prior to the onset of the magneto-rotational instability. For tidal disruptions around a $10^6$ M${}_{\odot }$ black hole, the measured accretion rate is super-Eddington but is not sustainable over many orbits. We thus identify a method by which the torus formed in tidal disruption event may be significantly accreted before the magneto-rotational instability is established.

9 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS. Movies of simulations available at https://youtu.be/kBLAjY8n9vI and https://youtu.be/F8F0tmLbX38

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• A New Paradigm for Gamma Ray Bursts: Long Term Accretion Rate Modulation by an External Accretion Disk
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