Warping and Precession of Accretion Disks Around Magnetic Stars: Nonlinear Evolution

Abstract

The inner region of the accretion disk around a magnetized star (T Tauri star, white dwarf or neutron star) is subjected to magnetic torques that induce warping and precession of the disk. These torques arise from the interaction between the stellar field and the induced electric currents in the disk. We carry out numerical simulations of the nonlinear evolution of warped, viscous accretion disks driven by the magnetic torques. We show that the disk can develop into a highly warped steady state in which the disk attains a fixed (warped) shape and precesses rigidly. The warp is most pronounced at the disk inner radius (near the magnetosphere boundary). As the system parameters (such as accretion rate) change, the disk can switch between a completely flat state (warping stable) and a highly warped state. The precession of warped disks may be responsible for a variety of quasi-periodic oscillations or radiation flux variabilities observed in many different systems, including young stellar objects and X-ray binaries.

arXiv comment16 pages, 7 figures; extended parameter searches, changes in discussion; accepted for publication in ApJ

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• Warps, bending and density waves excited by rotating magnetized stars: results of global 3D MHD simulations
• Characterizing X-ray binary long-term variability
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• Warping and precession in galactic and extragalactic accretion disks
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• Theory of Disk Accretion onto Magnetic Stars
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• Disk precession to explain the super-orbital modulation of LMC X-4: results from the Swift monitoring campaign
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