Episodic accretion in high-mass star formation: An analysis of thermal instability for axially symmetric disks

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Elbakyan, Vardan, Wehner, Dennis, Kuiper, Rolf, Nayakshin, Sergei, Garatti, Alessio Caratti o, Guo, Zhen
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Elbakyan, Vardan
Wehner, Dennis
Kuiper, Rolf
Nayakshin, Sergei
Garatti, Alessio Caratti o
Guo, Zhen
author_facet Elbakyan, Vardan
Wehner, Dennis
Kuiper, Rolf
Nayakshin, Sergei
Garatti, Alessio Caratti o
Guo, Zhen
contents High-mass young stellar objects exhibit episodic accretion bursts similar to their low-mass counterparts. Understanding these outbursts is crucial for elucidating massive star formation and disk evolution around high-mass protostars. We investigate thermal instability's role in triggering accretion outbursts using a two-dimensional hydrodynamical model that fully resolves the vertical structure of the inner disk. This approach provides a more realistic depiction of axially symmetric disk dynamics and assesses observable burst signatures. We simulate the inner 10 astronomical units of a circumstellar disk around a high-mass protostar, incorporating viscous heating and radiative transport in radial and vertical directions. Unlike previous one-dimensional studies, our two-dimensional model resolves time-dependent vertical disk structure, capturing complex radial-vertical dynamics. Our simulations show thermal instability causes significant structural changes. Steep temperature gradients and vigorous convection develop at outburst onset, with gas flows differing between midplane and upper layers. Energy release produces 15-30 year outbursts with peak accretion rates of $2-3\times10^{-4}~\rm M_{\odot}~\rm{yr}^{-1}$. While observable, these bursts are insufficiently bright with rise times differing from rapid observed events. Our models lack the "reflares" seen in one-dimensional calculations. Resolving full vertical disk structure is essential for accurate thermal instability modeling. While thermal instability significantly influences episodic accretion, it appears insufficient alone to explain observed HMYSO outburst diversity. Additional mechanisms are required for comprehensive understanding.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_20781
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Episodic accretion in high-mass star formation: An analysis of thermal instability for axially symmetric disks
Elbakyan, Vardan
Wehner, Dennis
Kuiper, Rolf
Nayakshin, Sergei
Garatti, Alessio Caratti o
Guo, Zhen
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
High-mass young stellar objects exhibit episodic accretion bursts similar to their low-mass counterparts. Understanding these outbursts is crucial for elucidating massive star formation and disk evolution around high-mass protostars. We investigate thermal instability's role in triggering accretion outbursts using a two-dimensional hydrodynamical model that fully resolves the vertical structure of the inner disk. This approach provides a more realistic depiction of axially symmetric disk dynamics and assesses observable burst signatures. We simulate the inner 10 astronomical units of a circumstellar disk around a high-mass protostar, incorporating viscous heating and radiative transport in radial and vertical directions. Unlike previous one-dimensional studies, our two-dimensional model resolves time-dependent vertical disk structure, capturing complex radial-vertical dynamics. Our simulations show thermal instability causes significant structural changes. Steep temperature gradients and vigorous convection develop at outburst onset, with gas flows differing between midplane and upper layers. Energy release produces 15-30 year outbursts with peak accretion rates of $2-3\times10^{-4}~\rm M_{\odot}~\rm{yr}^{-1}$. While observable, these bursts are insufficiently bright with rise times differing from rapid observed events. Our models lack the "reflares" seen in one-dimensional calculations. Resolving full vertical disk structure is essential for accurate thermal instability modeling. While thermal instability significantly influences episodic accretion, it appears insufficient alone to explain observed HMYSO outburst diversity. Additional mechanisms are required for comprehensive understanding.
title Episodic accretion in high-mass star formation: An analysis of thermal instability for axially symmetric disks
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.20781