Simulations of vertical shear instability in accretion discs

Abstract

The nonlinear evolution of the vertical shear instability in accretion discs is investigated using three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations. A vertical dependence of the angular velocity destabilizes the disc and leads to the generation of velocity fluctuations enhancing the angular momentum transport. The instability emerges in the numerical models for large radial perturbation wave numbers. The growth time is a few tens of orbital revolutions.