Magnetic Fields in Accretion Disks: A Review

Abstract

We review the current theoretical models of the inward advection of the large scale external magnetic fields in accretion discs. The most plausible theories for launching astrophysical jets rely on strong magnetic fields at the inner parts of the host accretion disks. An internal dynamo can in principle generate small scale magnetic fields in situ but generating a large scale field in a disk seems a difficult task in the dynamo theories. In fact, as far as numerous numerical experiments indicate, a dynamo-generated field in general would not be coherent enough over the large length scales of order the disk's radius. Instead, a large scale poloidal field dragged in from the environment, and compressed by the accretion, provides a more promising possibility. The difficulty in the latter picture, however, arises from the reconnection of the radial field component across the mid-plane which annihilates the field faster than it is dragged inward by the accretion. We review the different mechanisms proposed to overcome these theoretical difficulties. In fact, it turns out, that a combination of different effects, including magnetic buoyancy and turbulent pumping, is responsible for the vertical transport of the field lines toward the surface of the disk. The radial component of the poloidal field vanishes at the mid-plane, which efficiently impedes reconnection, and grows exponentially toward the surface where it can become much larger than the vertical field component. This allows the poloidal field to be efficiently advected to small radii until the allowed bending angle drops to of order unity, and the field can drive a strong outflow.