Star-disk interaction : inner disk structure and angular momentum transfer

Friday 7 June 2024

Title : Star-disk interaction : inner disk structure and angular momentum transfer

Speaker : Shinsuke Takasao (Osaka University)

Abstract :

Protostars undergo growth through accretion of gas from the surrounding disk. However, the structure of the inner disk, which is critical in determining the evolution of the protostar, remains poorly understood due to the drastic changes in physical conditions within this region. This gap in understanding introduces significant uncertainties in theories of stellar spin evolution and in the interpretation of observational data. To elucidate the fine-scale structure of this interaction, we have conducted 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations examining how a protostar interacts with its disk through magnetic fields. Based on these simulations, we explore how stellar magnetic fields influence both accretion and ejection processes. We will also present findings from our latest simulation, which models a convective protostar interacting with a turbulent disk. Additionally, we discuss the longstanding issue of protostellar spin-down, a fundamental problem in theories of star formation.