Search

After the Tidal Disruption Event (TDE) of a star around a SuperMassive Black Hole (SMBH), if the stellar debris stream rapidly circularizes and forms a compact disk, the TDE emission is expected to peak in the soft X-ray or far Ultra-Violet (UV). The fact that many TDE candidates are observed to peak in the near UV and optical has challenged conventional TDE emission models. By idealizing a disk as a nested sequence of elliptical orbits which communicate adiabatically via pressure forces, and are heated by energy dissipated during the circularization of the nearly parabolic debris streams, we investigate the dynamics and thermal emission of highly eccentric TDE disks, including the effect of General-Relativistic apsidal precession from the SMBH. We calculate the properties of uniformly precessing, apsidally aligned, and highly eccentric TDE disks, and find highly eccentric disk solutions exist for realistic TDE properties (SMBH and stellar mass, periapsis distance, etc.). Taking into account compressional heating (cooling) near periapsis (apoapsis), we find our idealized eccentric disk model can produce emission consistent with the X-ray and UV/Optical luminosities of many optically bright TDE candidates. Our work attempts to quantify the thermal emission expected from the shock-heating model for TDE emission, and finds stream-stream collisions are a promising way to power optically bright TDEs., Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted to MNRAS

A magnetic disc wind is an important mechanism that may be responsible for driving accretion and structure formation in protoplanetary discs. Recent numerical simulations have shown that these winds can take either the traditional `hourglass' symmetry about the mid-plane, or a `slanted' symmetry dominated by a mid-plane toroidal field of a single sign. The formation of this slanted symmetry state has not previously been explained. We use radially local 1D vertical shearing box simulations to assess the importance of large-scale MRI channel modes in influencing the formation and morphologies of these wind solutions. We consider only Ohmic resistivity and explore the effect of different magnetisations, with the mid-plane $\beta$ parameter ranging from $10^5$ to $10^2$. We find that our magnetic winds go through three stages of development: cyclic, transitive and steady, with the steady wind taking a slanted symmetry profile similar to those observed in local and global simulations. We show that the cycles are driven by periodic excitation of the $n=2$ or $3$ MRI channel mode coupled with advective eviction, and that the transition to the steady wind is caused by a much more slowly growing $n=1$ mode altering the wind structure. Saturation is achieved through a combination of advective damping from the strong wind, and suppression of the instability due to a strong toroidal field. A higher disc magnetisation leads to a greater tendency towards, and more rapid settling into the slanted symmetry steady wind, which may have important implications for mass and flux transport processes in protoplanetary discs., Comment: MNRAS accepted. 25 pages

Understanding oscillations and waves in astrophysical fluid bodies helps to elucidate their observed variability and the underlying physical mechanisms. Indeed, global oscillations and bending modes of accretion discs or tori may be relevant to quasi-periodicity and warped structures around compact objects. While most studies rely on linear theory, observationally significant, nonlinear dynamics is still poorly understood, especially in Keplerian discs for which resonances typically demand a separate treatment. In this work we introduce a novel analytical model which exactly solves the ideal, compressible fluid equations for a non-self-gravitating elliptical cylinder within a local shearing sheet. The aspect ratio of the ring is an adjustable parameter, allowing a continuum of models ranging from a torus of circular cross-section to a thin ring. We restrict attention to flow fields which are a linear function of the coordinates, capturing the lowest order global motions and reducing the dynamics to a set of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs). This system acts as a framework for exploring a rich range of hydrodynamic phenomena in both the large amplitude and Keplerian regimes. We demonstrate the connection between tilting tori and warped discs within this model, showing that the linear modes of the ring correspond to oppositely precessing global bending modes. These are further confirmed within a numerical grid based simulation. Crucially, the ODE system developed here allows for a more tractable investigation of nonlinear dynamics. This will be demonstrated in a subsequent paper which evidences mode coupling between warping and vertical motions in thin tilted rings., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted version for publication in MNRAS

The efficiency of tidal dissipation in convective zones of stars and giant planets depends, in part, on the response of a three-dimensional fluid flow to the periodic deformation due to the equilibrium tide — a problem considered by Jean-Paul Zahn in his PhD thesis. We review recent results on this problem and present novel calculations based on some idealized models.

The origin and wide distribution of eccentricities in planetary systems remains to be explained, in particular in the context of planet-disc interactions. Here we present a set of linear equations that describe the behavior of small eccentricities in a protoplanetary system consisting of a gaseous disc and a planet. Eccentricity propagates through the disc by means of pressure, and is exchanged with the planet via secular interactions. Excitation and damping of eccentricity can occur through Lindblad and corotation resonances, as well as viscosity. Three-dimensional effects allow for an eccentric mode to be trapped in the inner parts of the disc. This eccentric mode can easily grow within the disc's lifetime. An eccentric mode dominated by the planet can also grow, although less rapidly. Application to a hot Jupiter surrounded by a gaseous disc suggests that the eccentricity of the planet can grow. Finally, the linear theory is compared to hydrodynamical simulations, and a very good agreement is found.

Whether tidal disruption events (TDEs) circularise or accrete directly as a highly eccentric disc is the subject of current research and appears to depend sensitively on the disc thermodynamics. In a previous paper we applied the theory of eccentric discs to TDE discs using an $\alpha-$prescription for the disc stress, which leads to solutions that exhibit extreme, potentially unphysical, behaviour. In this paper we further explore the dynamical vertical structure of highly eccentric discs using alternative stress models that are better motivated by the behaviour of magnetic fields in eccentric discs. We find that the presence of a coherent magnetic field has a stabilising effect on the dynamics and can significantly alter the behaviour of highly eccentric radiation dominated discs. We conclude that magnetic fields are important for the evolution of TDE discs., Comment: 20 pages, 20 figure, accepted in MNRAS

Observations of distorted discs have highlighted the ubiquity of warps in a variety of astrophysical contexts. This has been complemented by theoretical efforts to understand the dynamics of warp evolution. Despite significant efforts to understand the dynamics of warped discs, previous work fails to address arguably the most prevalent regime -- nonlinear warps in Keplerian discs for which there is a resonance between the orbital, epicyclic and vertical oscillation frequencies. In this work, we implement a novel nonlinear ring model, developed recently by Fairbairn and Ogilvie, as a framework for understanding such resonant warp dynamics. Here we uncover two distinct nonlinear regimes as the warp amplitude is increased. Initially we find a smooth modulation theory which describes warp evolution in terms of the averaged Lagrangian of the oscillatory vertical motions of the disc. This hints towards the possibility of connecting previous warp theory under a generalised secular framework. Upon the warp amplitude exceeding a critical value, which scales as the square root of the aspect-ratio of our ring, the disc enters into a bouncing regime with extreme vertical compressions twice per orbit. We develop an impulsive theory which predicts special retrograde and prograde precessing warped solutions, which are identified numerically using our full equation set. Such solutions emphasise the essential activation of nonlinear vertical oscillations within the disc and may have important implications for energy and warp dissipation. Future work should search for this behaviour in detailed numerical studies of the internal flow structure of warped discs., Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Warped accretion discs of low viscosity are prone to hydrodynamic instability due to parametric resonance of inertial waves as confirmed by local simulations. Global simulations of warped discs, using either smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) or grid-based codes, are ubiquitous but no such instability has been seen. Here we utilize a hybrid Godunov-type Lagrangian method to study parametric instability in global simulations of warped Keplerian discs at unprecedentedly high resolution (up to 120 million particles). In the global simulations, the propagation of the warp is well described by the linear bending-wave equations before the instability sets in. The ensuing turbulence, captured for the first time in a global simulation, damps relative orbital inclinations and leads to a decrease in the angular momentum deficit. As a result, the warp undergoes significant damping within one bending-wave crossing time. Observed protoplanetary disc warps are likely maintained by companions or aftermath of disc breaking., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

High-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HFQPOs) observed in the emission of black-hole X-ray binary systems promise insight into strongly curved spacetime. `Discoseismic' oscillations with frequencies set by the intrinsic properties of the central black hole, in particular `trapped inertial waves' (r-modes), offer an attractive explanation for HFQPOs. To produce an observable signature, however, such oscillations must be excited to sufficiently large amplitudes. Turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability (MRI) fails to provide the necessary amplification, but r-modes may still be excited via interaction with accretion disc warps or eccentricities. We present 3D global hydrodynamic simulations of relativistic accretion discs, which demonstrate for the first time the excitation of trapped inertial waves by an imposed eccentricity in the flow. While the r-modes' saturated state depends on the vertical boundary conditions used in our unstratified, cylindrical framework, their excitation is unambiguous in all runs with eccentricity >0.005 near the ISCO. These simulations provide a proof of concept, demonstrating the robustness of trapped inertial wave excitation in a non-magnetized context. In a companion paper, we explore the competition between this excitation, and damping by magnetohydrodynamic turbulence., 16 pages, 15 figures, accepted in MNRAS. Updated with grammatical and typographical corrections

Whether tidal disruption events circularise or accrete directly as highly eccentric discs is the subject of current research and appears to depend sensitively on the disc thermodynamics. One aspect of this problem that has not received much attention is that a highly eccentric disc must have a strong, non-hydrostatic variation of the disc scale height around each orbit. As a complement to numerical simulations carried out by other groups, we investigate the dynamical structure of TDE discs using the nonlinear theory of eccentric accretion discs. In particular, we study the variation of physical quantities around each elliptical orbit, taking into account the dynamical vertical structure, as well as viscous dissipation and radiative cooling. The solutions include a structure similar to the nozzle-like structure seen in simulations. We find evidence for the existence of the thermal instability in highly eccentric discs dominated by radiation pressure. For thermally stable solutions many of our models indicate a failure of the $\alpha-$prescription for turbulent stresses. We discuss the consequences of our results for the structure of eccentric TDE discs., Comment: 19 pages, 20 figures, accepted in MNRAS

Thin astrophysical discs are very often modelled using the equations of two-dimensional hydrodynamics. We derive an extension of this model that describes more accurately the behaviour of a thin disc in the absence of self-gravity, magnetic fields and complex internal motions. The ideal fluid theory is derived directly from Hamilton's Principle for a three-dimensional fluid after making a specific approximation to the deformation gradient tensor. We express the equations in Eulerian form after projection on to a reference plane. The disc is thought of as a set of fluid columns, each of which is capable of a time-dependent affine transformation, consisting of a translation together with a linear transformation in three dimensions. Therefore, in addition to the usual two-dimensional hydrodynamics in the reference plane, the theory allows for a deformation of the midplane (as occurs in warped discs) and for the internal shearing motions that accompany such deformations. It also allows for the vertical expansions driven in non-circular discs by a variation of the vertical gravitational field around the horizontal streamlines, or by a divergence of the horizontal velocity. The equations of the affine model embody conservation laws for energy and potential vorticity, even for non-planar discs. We verify that they reproduce exactly the linear theories of three-dimensional warped and eccentric discs in a secular approximation. However, the affine model does not rely on any secular or small-amplitude assumptions and should be useful in more general circumstances., 18 pages, 4 figures, to be published in MNRAS

The high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HFQPOs) that punctuate the light curves of X-ray binary systems present a window onto the intrinsic properties of stellar-mass black holes and hence a testbed for general relativity. One explanation for these features is that relativistic distortion of the accretion disc's differential rotation creates a trapping region in which inertial waves (r-modes) might grow to observable amplitudes. Local analyses, however, predict that large-scale magnetic fields push this trapping region to the inner disc edge, where conditions may be unfavorable for r-mode growth. We revisit this problem from a pseudo-Newtonian but fully global perspective, deriving linearized equations describing a relativistic, magnetized accretion flow, and calculating normal modes with and without vertical density stratification. In an unstratified model, the choice of vertical wavenumber determines the extent to which vertical magnetic fields drive the r-modes toward the inner edge. In a global model fully incorporating density stratification, we confirm that this susceptibility to magnetic fields depends on disc thickness. Our calculations suggest that in thin discs, r-modes may remain independent of the inner disc edge for vertical magnetic fields with plasma betas as low as $\beta\approx 100-300$. We posit that the appearance of r-modes in observations may be more determined by a competition between excitation and damping mechanisms near the ISCO than the modification of the trapping region by magnetic fields., Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures, MNRAS accepted

In rotating stars and planets, excitation of inertial waves in convective envelopes provides an important channel for tidal dissipation, but the dissipation rate due to inertial waves depends erratically on the tidal frequency. Tidal dissipation is significantly enhanced at some frequencies, suggesting possible resonances between the tidal forcing and some eigenmodes. However, the nature of these resonances remains enigmatic owing to the singularity of the eigenvalue problem of inertial waves, and the resonances are often mistakenly attributed to wave attractors in the literature. In this letter, we reveal that resonant tidal responses correspond to inertial modes with large-scale flows hidden beneath localized wave beams. Strong couplings between the tidal forcing and the hidden large-scale flows intensify the localized wave beams emanating from the critical latitudes, leading to enhanced tidal dissipation. This study resolves a long-standing puzzle regarding the frequency-dependence of tidal dissipation due to inertial waves in convective envelopes., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJL

We explore the evolution of the eccentricity of an accretion disc perturbed by an embedded planet whose mass is sufficient to open a large gap in the disc. Various methods for representing the orbit-averaged motion of an eccentric disc are discussed. We characterize the linear instability which leads to the growth of eccentricity by means of hydrodynamical simulations. We numerically recover the known result that eccentricity growth in the disc is possible when the planet-to-star mass ratio exceeds 0.003. For mass ratios larger than this threshold, the precession rates and growth rates derived from simulations, as well as the shape of the eccentric mode, compare well with the predictions of a linear theory of eccentric discs. We study mechanisms by which the eccentricity growth eventually saturates into a non-linear regime., 16 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Internal waves play an important role in tidal dissipation in stars and giant planets. This chapter provides a pedagogical introduction to the study of astrophysical tides, with an emphasis on the contributions of inertial waves and internal gravity waves.

The evolution of a large-scale poloidal magnetic field in an accretion disc is an important problem because it determines the launching of winds and the feasibility of the magnetorotational instability to generate turbulence or channel flows. Recent studies, both semi-analytical calculations and numerical simulations, have highlighted the crucial role non-ideal MHD effects (Ohmic resistivity, Hall drift and ambipolar diffusion), relevant in the protoplanetary disc context, might play in magnetic flux evolution in the disc. We investigate the flux transport in discs through the use of two one-dimensional semi-analytic models in the vertical direction, exploring regimes where different physical source terms and effects dominate. The governing equations for both models are derived by performing an asymptotic expansion in the limit of a thin disc, with the different regimes isolated through setting the relative order of the leading terms between variables. Flux transport rates and vertical structure profiles are calculated for a range of diffusivities and disc magnetisations. We found that Ohmic and ambipolar diffusivities drive radially outward flux transport with an outwardly inclined field. A wind outflow drives inward flux transport, which is significantly enhanced in the presence of Hall drift in the positive polarity case, $\eta_H (\boldsymbol{B}_z \cdot \boldsymbol{\Omega}) > 0$, an effect which has only been briefly noted before. Coupled only with outward inclination, the Hall effect reduces the flux transport given by a background Ohmic and/or ambipolar diffusivity, but drives no flux transport when it is the only non-ideal effect present., Comment: In press. Accepted by MNRAS

We show that the ideal hydrodynamics of an eccentric astrophysical disc can be derived from a variational principle. The nonlinear secular theory describes the slow evolution of a continuous set of nested elliptical orbits as a result of the pressure in a thin disc. In the artificial but widely considered case of a 2D disc, the hydrodynamic Hamiltonian is just the orbit-averaged internal energy of the disc, which can be determined from its eccentricity distribution using the geometry of the elliptical orbits. In the realistic case of a 3D disc, the Hamiltonian needs to be modified to take into account the dynamical vertical structure of the disc. The simplest solutions of the theory are uniformly precessing nonlinear eccentric modes, which make the energy stationary subject to the angular momentum being fixed. We present numerical examples of nonlinear eccentric modes up to their limiting amplitudes. Although it lacks dissipation, which is important in many astrophysical contexts, this formalism allows a simpler theoretical approach to the nonlinear dynamics of eccentric discs than that derived from stress integrals, and also connects better with established methods of celestial mechanics for cases in which the disc interacts gravitationally with one or more orbital companion., 18 pages, 6 figures, accepted manuscript to appear in MNRAS

We revisit the global modes and instabilities of homogeneous rotating ellipsoidal fluid masses, which are the simplest global models of rotationally and tidally deformed gaseous planets or stars. The tidal flow in a short-period planet may be unstable to the elliptical instability, a hydrodynamic instability that can drive tidal evolution. We perform a global (and local WKB) analysis to study this instability using the elegant formalism of Lebovitz & Lifschitz. We survey the parameter space of global instabilities with harmonic orders $\ell\leq 5$, for planets with spins that are purely aligned (prograde) or anti-aligned (retrograde) with their orbits. In general, the instability has a much larger growth rate if the planetary spin and orbit are anti-aligned rather than aligned. We have identified a violent instability for anti-aligned spins outside of the usual frequency range for the elliptical instability (when $\frac{n}{\Omega}\lesssim -1$, where $n$ and $\Omega$ are the orbital and spin angular frequencies, respectively) if the tidal amplitude is sufficiently large. We also explore the instability in a rigid ellipsoidal container, which is found to be quantitatively similar to that with a realistic free surface. Finally, we study the effect of rotation and tidal deformation on mode frequencies. We find that larger rotation rates and larger tidal deformations both decrease the frequencies of the prograde sectoral surface gravity modes. This increases the prospect of their tidal excitation, potentially enhancing the tidal response over expectations from linear theory. In a companion paper, we use our results to interpret global simulations of the elliptical instability., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS (2016 March 22)

This chapter explores the physics shared by planetary rings and the various disks that populate the Universe. It begins with an observational overview, ranging from protoplanetary disks to spiral galaxies, and then compares and contrasts these astrophysical disks with the rings of the solar system. Emphasis is placed on fundamental physics and dynamics, and how research into the two classes of object connects. Topics covered include disk formation, accretion, collisional processes, waves, instabilities, and satellite–disk interactions. INTRODUCTION Disks are ubiquitous in astrophysics and participate in some of its most important processes. Most, but not all, feed a central mass: by facilitating the transfer of angular momentum, they permit the accretion of material that would otherwise remain in orbit (Lynden-Bell and Pringle, 1974). As a consequence, disks are essential to star, planet, and satellite formation (McKee and Ostriker, 2007; Williams and Cieza, 2011; Papaloizou and Terquem, 2006; Peale, 1999). They also regulate the growth of supermassive black holes and thus indirectly influence galactic structure and the intracluster medium (Volonteri, 2010; Fabian, 2012). Although astrophysical disks can vary by ten orders of magnitude in size and differ hugely in composition, all share the same basic dynamics and many physical phenomena. This review explores these areas of overlap. The prevalence of flattened astrophysical systems is a result of dissipation and rotation (Goldreich and Tremaine, 1982). A cloud of gas or debris in orbit around a central mass conserves its total angular momentum but not its energy, as there are numerous processes that may cool the cloud (inelastic physical collisions, Bremsstrahlung, molecular line emission, etc.). As a result, particles’ random velocities are steadily depleted – where “random velocity” is understood to be the component surplus to the circular orbit fixed by the angular momentum. The system contracts into a flat circular disk, the lowest energy state accessible. The contraction ends, and an equilibrium balance is achieved, once the cooling is met by heating (supplied by external irradiation or an internal viscous stress). Let us define a cylindrical coordinate system with its origin at the central mass and the vertical pointing in the direction of the total angular momentum vector. We describe systems as cold when the pressure gradient is weak and the final equilibrium very thin: radially the dominant force balance is between the centrifugal force and gravity, while vertically it is between pressure and gravity.

The excitation of trapped inertial waves (r-modes) by warps and eccentricities in the inner regions of a black hole accretion disc may explain the high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HFQPOs) observed in the emission of Galactic X-ray binaries. However, it has been suggested that strong vertical magnetic fields push the oscillations' trapping region toward the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), where conditions could be unfavourable for their excitation. This paper explores the effects of large-scale magnetic fields that exhibit \textit{both} toroidal and vertical components, through local and global linear analyses. We find that a strong toroidal magnetic field can reduce the detrimental effects of a vertical field: in fact, the isolation of the trapping region from the ISCO may be restored by toroidal magnetic fields approaching thermal strengths. The toroidal field couples the r-modes to the disc's magneto-acoustic response and inflates the effective pressure within the oscillations. As a consequence, the restoring force associated with the vertical magnetic field's tension is reduced. Given the analytical and numerical evidence that accretion discs threaded by poloidal magnetic field lines develop a strong toroidal component, our result provides further evidence that the detrimental effects of magnetic fields on trapped inertial modes are not as great as previously thought., Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, MNRAS accepted

We study the hydrodynamical stability of the laminar flows associated with warped astrophysical discs using numerical simulations of warped shearing boxes. We recover linear growth rates reported previously due to a parametric resonance of inertial waves, and show that the nonlinear saturated state can significantly reduce the laminar flows, meaning that the warp would evolve on much longer time scales than would be concluded from the internal torques due to these laminar flows. Towards larger warp amplitudes, we find first of all a reversal of angular momentum flux, indicating that the mass distribution would evolve in an anti-diffusive manner, and second that the linear growth rates disappear, possibly because of the very strong shear in the laminar flows in this regime. For discs with small enough viscosity, a nonlinear state can still be found when linear growth rates are absent by introducing a large enough perturbation, either by starting from a nonlinear state obtained at smaller warp amplitude, or by starting from a state with no laminar flows., Comment: 17 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We derive expressions for the local ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations for a warped astrophysical disc using a warped shearing box formalism. A perturbation expansion of these equations to first order in the warping amplitude leads to a linear theory for the internal local structure of magnetised warped discs in the absence of MRI turbulence. In the special case of an external magnetic field oriented normal to the disc surface these equations are solved semi-analytically via a spectral method. The relatively rapid warp propagation of low-viscosity Keplerian hydrodynamic warped discs is diminished by the presence of a magnetic field. The magnetic tension adds a stiffness to the epicyclic oscillations, detuning the natural frequency from the orbital frequency and thereby removing the resonant forcing of epicyclic modes characteristic of hydrodynamic warped discs. In contrast to a single hydrodynamic resonance we find a series of Alfv\'{e}nic-epicyclic modes which may be resonantly forced by the warped geometry at critical values of the orbital shear rate $q$ and magnetic field strength. At these critical points large internal torques are generated and anomalously rapid warp propagation occurs. As our treatment omits MRI turbulence, these results are of greatest applicability to strongly magnetised discs., Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, MNRAS accepted

We study the interaction between stellar irradiation and tidal heating in gaseous planets with short orbital periods. The intentionally simplified atmospheric model we employ makes the problem analytically tractable and permits the derivation of useful scaling relations. We show that many tidal models provide thermal feedback, producing interior radiative zones and leading to enhanced g-mode dissipation with a wide spectrum of resonances. These resonances are dynamically tuned by the thermal feedback, and so represent a novel form of thermomechanical feedback, coupling vibrational modes to the very slow thermal evolution of the planet. We then show that stellar irradiation allows the heat produced by these modes to be trapped at depth with high efficiency, leading to entropy increase in the central convective region, as well as expansion of the planet's radius sufficient to match observed swelling. We find that thermally driven winds play an essential role in this process by making the thermal structure of the atmosphere spherically symmetric within a few scale heights of the photosphere. We characterise the relationship between the swelling factor, the orbital period and the host star and determine the timescale for swelling. We show that these g-modes suffice to produce bloating on the order of the radius of the planet over $\mathrm{Gyr}$ timescales when combined with significant insolation and we provide analytic relations for the relative magnitudes of tidal heating and insolation., 15 pages, 5 figures, accepted to MNRAS

Spin-orbit misalignments have been detected in exoplanetary systems and binary star systems. Tidal interactions may have played an important role in the evolution of the spin-orbit angle. In this study, we investigate the tidal interactions in spin-orbit misaligned systems. In particular, we focus on the tidal response of a rotating fluid body to the obliquity tide, which may be important for the evolution of the spin-orbit angle but hardly affects the orbital evolution. The obliquity tide also provides a torque for the mutual precession of the spin and orbital axes around the total angular momentum vector, which has not yet been considered in previous studies on the tidal interactions. In this paper, we first formulate a set of linearized equations describing the tidal response in spin-orbit misaligned systems, taking into account the precessional motion. Numerical solutions in a homogeneous fluid and in a polytrope of index 1 show that dissipative inertial waves can be excited on top of precession by the obliquity tide in the presence of a rigid core. The tidal quality factor associated with the obliquity tide $Q'_{210}$ can be several orders of magnitude smaller than those associated with other tidal components if their frequencies fall outside the frequency range of inertial waves. Therefore, it is possible that the spin-orbit misalignment undergoes much more rapid decay than the orbital decay in hot Jupiter systems owing to the enhanced dissipation of the obliquity tide., 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Eccentric Keplerian discs are believed to be unstable to three-dimensional hydrodynamical instabilities driven by the time-dependence of fluid properties around an orbit. These instabilities could lead to small-scale turbulence, and ultimately modify the global disc properties. We use a local model of an eccentric disc, derived in a companion paper, to compute the nonlinear vertical ("breathing mode") oscillations of the disc. We then analyse their linear stability to locally axisymmetric disturbances for any disc eccentricity and eccentricity gradient using a numerical Floquet method. In the limit of small departures from a circular reference orbit, the instability of an isothermal disc is explained analytically. We also study analytically the small-scale instability of an eccentric neutrally stratified polytropic disc with any polytropic index using a WKB approximation. We find that eccentric discs are generically unstable to the parametric excitation of small-scale inertial waves. The nonlinear evolution of these instabilities should be studied in numerical simulations, where we expect them to lead to a decay of the disc eccentricity and eccentricity gradient as well as to induce additional transport and mixing. Our results highlight that it is essential to consider the three-dimensional structure of eccentric discs, and their resulting vertical oscillatory flows, in order to correctly capture their evolution., Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, to be published in MNRAS

In a uniformly rotating fluid, inertial waves propagate along rays that are inclined to the rotation axis by an angle that depends on the wave frequency. In closed domains, multiple reflections from the boundaries may cause inertial waves to focus on to particular structures known as wave attractors. Such structures have previously been studied from a theoretical point of view, in laboratory experiments, in linear numerical calculations and in some recent numerical simulations. In the present paper, two-dimensional direct numerical simulations of an inertial wave attractor are presented. In the linear regime, we first recover the results of the linear calculations and asymptotic theory of Ogilvie (2005) who considered a prototypical problem involving the focusing of linear internal waves into a narrow beam centred on a wave attractor in a steady state. The velocity profile of the beam and its scalings with the Ekman number, as well as the asymptotic value of the dissipation rate, are found to be in agreement with the linear theory. We also find that, as the beam builds up around the wave attractor, the power input by the applied force reaches its limiting value more rapidly than the dissipation rate, which saturates only when the beam has reached its final thickness. In the nonlinear regime, the beam is strongly affected and becomes unstable to a subharmonic instability. This instability transfers energy to secondary waves possessing shorter wavelengths and lower frequencies. The onset of the instability of a narrow inertial wave beam is investigated by means of a separate linear analysis and the results, such as the onset of the instability, are found to be consistent with the global simulations of the wave attractor. The excitation of such secondary waves described theoretically in this work has also been seen in recent laboratory experiments on internal gravity waves., Comment: Accepted for publication in JFM

Planetary rings sustain a continual bombardment of hypervelocity meteoroids that erode the surfaces of ring particles on time scales of 10^5 - 10^7 years. The debris ejected from such impacts re-accretes on to the ring, though often at a slightly different orbital radius from the point of emission. This `ballistic transport' leads to a rearrangement of the disk's mass and angular momentum, and gives rise to a linear instability that generates structure on relatively large scales. It is likely that the 100-km undulations in Saturn's inner B-ring and the plateaus and 1000-km waves in Saturn's C-ring are connected to the nonlinear saturation of the instability. In this paper the physical problem is reformulated so as to apply to a local patch of disk (the shearing sheet). This new streamlined model helps facilitate our physical understanding of the instability, and also makes more tractable the analysis of its nonlinear dynamics. We concentrate on the linear theory in this paper, showing that the instability is restricted to a preferred range of intermediate wavenumbers and optical depths. We subsequently apply these general results to the inner B-ring and the C-ring and find that in both regions the ballistic transport instability should be near marginality, a fact that may have important consequences for its prevalence and nonlinear development. Owing to damping via self-gravity wakes, the instability should not be present in the A-ring. A following paper will explore the instability's nonlinear saturation and how it connects to the observed large-scale structure.

We conduct a linear stability calculation of an ideal Keplerian flow on which a sinusoidal zonal flow is imposed. The analysis uses the shearing sheet model and is carried out both in isothermal and adiabatic conditions, with and without self-gravity (SG). In the non-SG regime a structure in the potential vorticity (PV) leads to a non-axisymmetric Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability; in the short-wavelength limit its growth rate agrees with the incompressible calculation by Lithwick (2007), which only considers perturbations elongated in the streamwise direction. The instability's strength is analysed as a function of the structure's properties, and zonal flows are found to be stable if their wavelength is $\gtrsim 8H$, where $H$ is the disc's scale height, regardless of the value of the adiabatic index $\gamma$. The non-axisymmetric KH instability can operate in Rayleigh-stable conditions, and it therefore represents the limiting factor to the structure's properties. Introducing SG triggers a second non-axisymmetric instability, which is found to be located around a PV maximum, while the KH instability is linked to a PV minimum, as expected. In the adiabatic regime, the same gravitational instability is detected even when the structure is present only in the entropy (not in the PV) and the instability spreads to weaker SG conditions as the entropy structure's amplitude is increased. This eventually yields a non-axisymmetric instability in the non-SG regime, albeit of weak strength, localised around an entropy maximum., Comment: 12 pages, 16 figures // v2: corrected mistakes in adiabatic terms in Eq. 24-26. These changes impacted only on Figs. 11-13, which were also updated

We perform global two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of Keplerian discs with free eccentricity over thousands of orbital periods. Our aim is to determine the validity of secular theory in describing the evolution of eccentric discs, and to explore their nonlinear evolution for moderate eccentricities. Linear secular theory is found to correctly predict the structure and precession rates of discs with small eccentricities. However, discs with larger eccentricities (and eccentricity gradients) are observed to precess faster (retrograde relative to the orbital motion), at a rate that depends on their eccentricities (and eccentricity gradients). We derive analytically a nonlinear secular theory for eccentric gas discs, which explains this result as a modification of the pressure forces whenever eccentric orbits in a disc nearly intersect. This effect could be particularly important for highly eccentric discs produced in tidal disruption events, or for narrow gaseous rings; it might also play a role in causing some of the variability in superhump binary systems. In two dimensions, the eccentricity of a moderately eccentric disc is long-lived and persists throughout the duration of our simulations. Eccentric modes are however weakly damped by their interaction with non-axisymmetric spiral density waves (driven by the Papaloizou-Pringle instability, which occurs in our idealised setup with solid walls), as well as numerical diffusion., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in MNRAS (2016 March 08)

These lecture notes and example problems are based on a course given at the University of Cambridge in Part III of the Mathematical Tripos. Fluid dynamics is involved in a very wide range of astrophysical phenomena, such as the formation and internal dynamics of stars and giant planets, the workings of jets and accretion discs around stars and black holes and the dynamics of the expanding Universe. Effects that can be important in astrophysical fluids include compressibility, self-gravitation and the dynamical influence of the magnetic field that is ‘frozen in’ to a highly conducting plasma. The basic models introduced and applied in this course are Newtonian gas dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) for an ideal compressible fluid. The mathematical structure of the governing equations and the associated conservation laws are explored in some detail because of their importance for both analytical and numerical methods of solution, as well as for physical interpretation. Linear and nonlinear waves, including shocks and other discontinuities, are discussed. The spherical blast wave resulting from a supernova, and involving a strong shock, is a classic problem that can be solved analytically. Steady solutions with spherical or axial symmetry reveal the physics of winds and jets from stars and discs. The linearized equations determine the oscillation modes of astrophysical bodies, as well as their stability and their response to tidal forcing.

In Keplerian accretion disks, turbulence and magnetic fields may be jointly excited through a subcritical dynamo process involving the magnetorotational instability (MRI). High-resolution simulations exhibit a tendency towards statistical self-organization of MRI dynamo turbulence into large-scale cyclic dynamics. Understanding the physical origin of these structures, and whether they can be sustained and transport angular momentum efficiently in astrophysical conditions, represents a significant theoretical challenge. The discovery of simple periodic nonlinear MRI dynamo solutions has recently proven useful in this respect, and has notably served to highlight the role of turbulent magnetic diffusion in the seeming decay of the dynamics at low magnetic Prandtl number Pm (magnetic diffusivity larger than viscosity), a common regime in accretion disks. The connection between these simple structures and the statistical organization reported in turbulent simulations remained elusive, though. Here, we report the numerical discovery in moderate aspect ratio Keplerian shearing boxes of new periodic, incompressible, three-dimensional nonlinear MRI dynamo solutions with a larger dynamical complexity reminiscent of such simulations. These "chimera" cycles are characterized by multiple MRI-unstable dynamical stages, but their basic physical principles of self-sustainment are nevertheless identical to those of simpler cycles found in azimuthally elongated boxes. In particular, we find that they are not sustained at low Pm either due to subcritical turbulent magnetic diffusion. These solutions offer a new perspective into the transition from laminar to turbulent instability-driven dynamos, and may prove useful to devise improved statistical models of turbulent accretion disk dynamos., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, submitted to A&A

We formulate a set of linear equations that describe the behaviour of small eccentricities in a protoplanetary system consisting of a gaseous disc and a planet. Eccentricity propagates through the disc by means of pressure and self-gravity, and is exchanged with the planet via secular interactions. Excitation and damping of eccentricity can occur through Lindblad and corotation resonances, as well as viscosity. We compute normal modes of the coupled disc-planet system in the case of short-period giant planets orbiting inside an inner cavity, possibly carved by the stellar magnetosphere. Three-dimensional effects allow for a mode to be trapped in the inner parts of the disc. This mode can easily grow within the disc's lifetime. An eccentric mode dominated by the planet can also grow, although less rapidly. We compute the structure and growth rates of these modes and their dependence on the assumed properties of the disc., Comment: 27 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Jets, from the protostellar to the AGN context, have been extensively studied but their connection to the turbulent dynamics of the underlying accretion disc is poorly understood. Following a similar approach to Lesur et al. (2013), we examine the role of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in the production and acceleration of outflows from discs. Via a suite of one-dimensional shearing-box simulations of stratified discs we show that magneto-centrifugal winds exhibit cyclic activity with a period of 10-20 Omega^{-1}, a few times the orbital period. The cycle seems to be more vigorous for strong vertical field; it is robust to the variation of relevant parameters and independent of numerical details. The convergence of these solutions (in particular the mass loss rate) with vertical box size is also studied. By considering a sequence of magnetohydrostatic equilibria and their stability, the periodic activity may be understood as the succession of the following phases: (a) a dominant MRI channel mode, (b) strong magnetic field generation, (c) consequent wind launching, and ultimately (d) vertical expulsion of the excess magnetic field by the expanding and accelerating gas associated with the wind. We discuss potential connections between this behaviour and observed time-variability in disk-jet systems., Comment: 19 pages, 16 figures, accepted in MNRAS (August, 30th 2016)

Standard models of accretion discs study the transport of mass on a viscous time-scale but do not consider the transport of magnetic flux. The evolution of a large-scale poloidal magnetic field is, however, an important problem because of its role in the launching of jets and winds and in determining the intensity of turbulence. As a consequence, the transport of poloidal magnetic flux should be considered on an equal basis to the transport of mass. In this paper, we develop a formalism to study such a transport of mass and magnetic flux in a thin accretion disc. The governing equations are derived by performing an asymptotic expansion in the limit of a thin disc, in the regime where the magnetic field is dominated by its vertical component. Turbulent viscosity and resistivity are included, with an arbitrary vertical profile that can be adjusted to mimic the vertical structure of the turbulence. At a given radius and time, the rates of transport of mass and magnetic flux are determined by a one-dimensional problem in the vertical direction, in which the radial gradients of various quantities appear as source terms. We solve this problem to obtain the transport rates and the vertical structure of the disc. This paper is then restricted to the idealized case of uniform diffusion coefficients, while a companion paper will study more realistic vertical profiles of these coefficients. We show the advection of weak magnetic fields to be significantly faster than the advection of mass, contrary to what a crude vertical averaging might suggest. This results from the larger radial velocities away from the mid-plane, which barely affect the mass accretion owing to the low density in these regions but do affect the advection of magnetic flux. Possible consequences of this larger accretion velocity include a potentially interesting time dependence with the magnetic flux distribution evolving faster than the mass distribution. If the disc is not too thin, this fast advection may also partially solve the long-standing problem of too efficient diffusion of an inclined magnetic field.

In this paper we investigate the formation of narrow planetary rings such as those found around Uranus and Saturn through the tidal disruption of a weak, gravitationally bound satellite that migrates within its Roche limit. Using $N$-body simulations, we study the behaviour of rubble piles placed on circular orbits at different distances from a central planet. We consider both homogeneous satellites and differentiated bodies containing a denser core. We show that the Roche limit for a rubble pile is closer to the planet than for a fluid body of the same mean density. The Roche limit for a differentiated body is also closer to the planet than for a homogeneous satellite of the same mean density. Within its Roche limit, a homogeneous satellite totally disrupts and forms a narrow ring. The initial stages of the disruption are similar to the evolution of a viscous fluid ellipsoid, which can be computed semi-analytically. On the other hand, when a differentiated satellite is just within the Roche limit only the mantle is disrupted. This process is similar to Roche-lobe overflow in interacting binary stars and produces two narrow rings on either side of a remnant satellite. We argue that the Uranian rings, and possibly their shepherd satellites, could have been formed through the tidal disruption of a number of protomoons that were formed inside the corotation radius of Uranus and migrated slowly inwards as a result of tidal interaction with the planet.

The acceleration of an outflow along inclined magnetic field lines emanating from an accretion disc can be studied in the local approximation, as employed in the computational model known as the shearing box. By including the slow magnetosonic point within the computational domain, the rate of mass loss in the outflow can be calculated. The accretion rates of mass and magnetic flux can also be determined, although some effects of cylindrical geometry are omitted. We formulate a simple model for the study of this problem and present the results of one-dimensional numerical simulations and supporting calculations. Quasi-steady solutions are obtained for relatively strong poloidal magnetic fields for which the magnetorotational instability is suppressed. In this regime the rate of mass loss decreases extremely rapidly with increasing field strength, or with decreasing surface density or temperature. If the poloidal magnetic field in an accretion disc can locally achieve an appropriate strength and inclination then a rapid burst of ejection may occur. For weaker fields it may be possible to study the launching process in parallel with the magnetorotational instability, but this will require three-dimensional simulations.

We describe the dynamics of a stream of equally spaced macroscopic particles in orbit around a central body (e.g. a planet or star). A co-orbital configuration of small bodies may be subject to gravitational instability, which takes the system to a spreading, disordered and collisional state. We detail the linear instability's mathematical and physical features using the shearing sheet model and subsequently track its nonlinear evolution with local N-body simulations. This model provides a convenient tool with which to understand the gravitational and collisional dynamics of narrow belts, such as Saturn's F-ring and the streams of material wrenched from tidally disrupted bodies. In particular, we study the tendency of these systems to form long-lived particle aggregates. Finally, we uncover an unexpected connection between the linear dynamics of the gravitational instability and the magnetorotational instability.

We study the interaction between tides and convection in astrophysical bodies by analysing the effect of a homogeneous oscillatory shear on a fluid flow. This model can be taken to represent the interaction between a large-scale periodic tidal deformation and a smaller-scale convective motion. We first consider analytically the limit in which the shear is of low amplitude and the oscillation period is short compared to the timescales of the unperturbed flow. In this limit there is a viscoelastic response and we obtain expressions for the effective elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient. The effective viscosity is inversely proportional to the square of the oscillation frequency, with a coefficient that can be positive, negative or zero depending on the properties of the unperturbed flow. We also carry out direct numerical simulations of Boussinesq convection in an oscillatory shearing box and measure the time-dependent Reynolds stress. The results indicate that the effective viscosity of turbulent convection falls rapidly as the oscillation frequency is increased, attaining small negative values in the cases we have examined, although significant uncertainties remain because of the turbulent noise. We discuss the implications of this analysis for astrophysical tides.

We perform a stability analysis of a tidally excited non-linear internal gravity wave near the centre of a solar-type star in two-dimensional cylindrical geometry. The motivation is to understand the tidal interaction between short-period planets and their slowly rotating solar-type host stars, which involves the launching of internal gravity waves at the top of the radiation zone that propagate towards the centre of the star. Studying the instabilities of these waves near the centre, where non-linearities are most important, is essential, since it may have implications for the survival of short-period planets orbiting solar-type stars. When these waves have sufficient amplitude to overturn the stratification, they break and form a critical layer, which efficiently absorbs subsequent ingoing wave angular momentum, and can result in the planet spiralling into the star. However, in previous simulations the waves have not been observed to undergo instability for smaller amplitudes. Here we perform a stability analysis of a non-linear standing internal gravity wave in the central regions of a solar-type star. This work has two aims: to determine any instabilities that set in for small-amplitude waves, and to further understand the breaking process for large-amplitude waves that overturn the stratification. Our results are compared with the stability of a plane internal gravity wave in a uniform stratification, and with previous work by Kumar & Goodman on a similar problem to our own. Our main result is that the waves undergo parametric instabilities for any amplitude (in the absence of viscosity and thermal conduction). However, because the non-linearity is spatially localized in the innermost wavelengths, the growth rates of these instabilities tend to be sufficiently small that they do not result in astrophysically important tidal dissipation. Indeed, we estimate that the modified tidal quality factors of the star that result are Q � 10 7 , and possibly much greater, which implies that the resulting dissipation is at least two orders of magnitude weaker than that which results from critical-layer absorption. These results support our explanation for the survival of all currently observed short-period planets around solar-type main-sequence stars: that planets unable to cause wave breaking at the centre of their host stars are likely to survive against tidal decay. This hypothesis will be tested by ongoing and future observations of transiting planets, such as Wide Area Search for Planets and Kepler.

We propose a closure model for the transport of entropy and momentum in astrophysical turbulence, intended for application to rotating stellar convective regions. Our closure model is first presented in the Boussinesq formalism, and compared with laboratory and numerical experimental results on Rayleigh-Benard convection and Homogeneous Rayleigh-Benard convection. The predicted angular momentum transport properties of the turbulence in the slowly rotating case recover the well-known Lambda-effect, with an amplitude uniquely related to the convective heat flux. The model is then extended to the anelastic case as well as the fully compressible case. In the special case of spherical symmetry, the predicted radial heat flux is equivalent to that of mixing-length theory. For rotating stars, our model describes the coupled transport of heat and angular momentum, and provides a unified formalism in which to study both differential rotation and thermal inhomogeneities in stellar convection zones.

Tidal friction is thought to be important in determining the long-term spin-orbit evolution of short-period extrasolar planetary systems. Using a simple model of the orbit-averaged effects of tidal friction, we study the evolution of close-in planets on inclined orbits, due to tides. We analyse the effects of the inclusion of stellar magnetic braking by performing a phase-plane analysis of a simplified system of equations, including the braking torque. The inclusion of magnetic braking is found to be important, and its neglect can result in a very different system history. We then present the results of numerical integrations of the tidal evolution equations, where we find that it is essential to consider coupled evolution of the orbital and rotational elements, including dissipation in both the star and planet, to accurately model the evolution. The main result of our integrations is that for typical Hot Jupiters, tidal friction aligns the stellar spin with the orbit on a similar time as it causes the orbit to decay. This means that if a planet is observed to be aligned, then it probably formed coplanar. This reinforces the importance of Rossiter-McLaughlin effect observations in determining the degree of spin-orbit alignment in transiting systems. We apply these results to the XO-3 system, and constrain the tidal quality factors Q' in both the star and planet in this system. Using a model in which inertial waves are excited by tidal forcing in the outer convective envelope and dissipated by turbulent viscosity, we calculate Q' for a range of F-star models, and find it to vary considerably within this class of stars. This means that assuming a single Q' applies to all stars is probably incorrect. We propose an explanation for the survival of WASP-12 b & OGLE-TR-56 b, in terms of weak dissipation in the star., 19 pages, 8 figures, accepted in MNRAS

Identifying generic physical mechanisms responsible for the generation of magnetic fields and turbulence in differentially rotating flows is fundamental to understand the dynamics of astrophysical objects such as accretion disks and stars. In this paper, we discuss the concept of subcritical dynamo action and its hydrodynamic analogue exemplified by the process of nonlinear transition to turbulence in non-rotating wall-bounded shear flows. To illustrate this idea, we describe some recent results on nonlinear hydrodynamic transition to turbulence and nonlinear dynamo action in rotating shear flows pertaining to the problem of turbulent angular momentum transport in accretion disks. We argue that this concept is very generic and should be applicable to many astrophysical problems involving a shear flow and non-axisymmetric instabilities of shear-induced axisymmetric toroidal velocity or magnetic fields, such as Kelvin-Helmholtz, magnetorotational, Tayler or global magnetoshear instabilities. In the light of several recent numerical results, we finally suggest that, similarly to a standard linear instability, subcritical MHD dynamo processes in high-Reynolds number shear flows could act as a large-scale driving mechanism of turbulent flows that would in turn generate an independent small-scale dynamo., Comment: 12 pages. Submitted to Astronomische Nachrichten (2007 Catania MHD Workshop special issue)

We study the development of finite eccentricity in accretion disks in close binary systems using a two-dimensional grid-based numerical scheme. We perform detailed parameter studies to explore the dependence on viscosity, disk aspect ratio, the inclusion of a mass-transfer stream and the role of the boundary conditions. We consider mass ratios 0.05, Comment: 19 pages, 27 Figures, accepted by A&A

We investigate the dynamical response of a non-synchronized hot Jupiter to stellar irradiation. In our current model, the stellar radiation acts like a diurnal thermal forcing from the top of a radiative layer of a hot Jupiter. If the thermal forcing period is longer than the sound speed crossing time of the planet's surface, the forcing can excite internal waves propagating into the planet's interior. When the planet spins faster than its orbital motion, these waves carry negative angular momentum and are damped by radiative loss as they propagate downwards from the upper layer of the radiative zone. As a result, the upper layer gains the angular momentum from the lower layer of the radiative zone. Simple estimates of angular momentum flux are made for all transiting planets.

We calculate the excitation and dissipation of low-frequency tidal oscillations in uniformly rotating solar-type stars. For tidal frequencies smaller than twice the spin frequency, inertial waves are excited in the convective envelope and are dissipated by turbulent viscosity. Enhanced dissipation occurs over the entire frequency range rather than in a series of very narrow resonant peaks, and is relatively insensitive to the effective viscosity. Hough waves are excited at the base of the convective zone and propagate into the radiative interior. We calculate the associated dissipation rate under the assumption that they do not reflect coherently from the center of the star. Tidal dissipation in a model based on the present Sun is significantly enhanced through the inclusion of the Coriolis force but may still fall short of that required to explain the circularization of close binary stars. However, the dependence of the results on the spin frequency, tidal frequency, and stellar model indicate that a more detailed evolutionary study including inertial and Hough waves is required. We also discuss the case of higher tidal frequencies appropriate to stars with very close planetary companions. The survival of even the closest hot Jupiters can be plausibly explained provided that the Hough waves they generate are not damped at the center of the star. We argue that this is the case because the tide excited by a hot Jupiter in the present Sun would marginally fail to achieve nonlinearity. As conditions at the center of the star evolve, nonlinearity may set in at a critical age, resulting in a relatively rapid inspiral of the hot Jupiter., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Astrophys. J

Subcritical transition to turbulence in Keplerian accretion disks is still a controversial issue and some theoretical progress is required in order to determine whether or not this scenario provides a plausible explanation for the origin of angular momentum transport in non-magnetized accretion disks. Motivated by the recent discoveries of exact nonlinear steady self-sustaining solutions in linearly stable non-rotating shear flows, we attempt to compute similar solutions in Rayleigh-stable rotating plane Couette flows and to identify transition mechanisms in such flows by combining nonlinear continuation methods and asymptotic theory. We obtain exact nonlinear solutions for Rayleigh-stable cyclonic regimes but show that it is not possible to compute solutions for Rayleigh-stable anticyclonic regimes, including Keplerian flow, using similar techniques. We also present asymptotic descriptions of these various problems at large Reynolds numbers that provide some insight into the differences between the non-rotating and Rayleigh-stable anticyclonic regimes and derive some necessary conditions for mechanisms analogous to the non-rotating self-sustaining process to be present in flows on the Rayleigh line. Our results demonstrate that subcritical transition mechanisms cannot be identified in wall-bounded Rayleigh-stable anticyclonic shear flows by transposing directly the phenomenology of subcritical transition in cyclonic and non-rotating wall-bounded shear flows. Asymptotic developments, however, leave open the possibility that nonlinear self-sustaining solutions may exist in unbounded or periodic flows on the Rayleigh line. These could serve as a starting point to discover solutions in Rayleigh-stable flows, but the nonlinear stability of Keplerian accretion disks remains to be determined., Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A