Angular Momentum Transport in Simulations of Accretion Disks

Abstract

In this paper we briefly discuss the ways in which angular momentum transport is included in simulations of non-self-gravitating accretion disks, concentrating on disks in close binaries. Numerical approaches fall in two basic categories; particle based Lagrangian schemes, and grid based Eulerian techniques. Underlying the choice of numerical technique are assumptions that are made about disk physics, in particular about the angular momentum transport mechanism. Grid-based simulations have generally been of hot, relatively inviscid disks whereas particle-based simulations are more commonly of cool, viscous disks. Calculations of the latter type have been instrumental in developing a model for the superhump phenomenon. We describe how we use an artificial viscosity term to introduce angular momentum transport into our smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) disk code.