Magnetorotational Instability in Weakly Ionised, Stratified Accretion Discs

Abstract

We present a linear analysis of the vertical structure and growth of the magnetorotational instability in weakly ionised, stratified accretion discs. The method includes the effects of the magnetic coupling, the conductivity regime of the fluid and the strength of the magnetic field, which is initially vertical. The conductivity is treated as a tensor and assumed constant with height. The Hall effect causes the perturbations to grow faster and act over a much more extended section of the disc, when the magnetic coupling is low. As a result, significant accretion can occur closer to the midplane, despite the weak magnetic coupling, because of the high column density of the fluid. This is an interesting alternative to the commonly held view that accretion is relevant mainly in the surface regions of discs, which have a better coupling, but a much lower fluid density.