The Inner Rim Structures of Protoplanetary Discs

Abstract

The inner boundary of protoplanetary discs is structured by the dramatic opacity changes at the transition from the dust-containing to a dust-free zone. This paper explores the variety and limits of inner rim structures in passively heated dusty discs. For this study, we implemented detailed sublimation physics in a fast Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. We show that the inner rim in dusty discs is not an infinitely sharp wall but a diffuse region which may be narrow or wide. Furthermore, high surface densities and large silicate grains as well as iron and corundum grains decrease the rim radius, from a 2.2AU radius for small silicates around a 47 Solar luminosity Herbig Ae star typically to 0.4AU and as close as 0.2AU. A passive disc with grain growth and a diverse dust composition must thus have a small inner rim radius. Finally, an analytical expression is presented for the rim location as a function of dust, disc and stellar properties.

18 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A; [v2,v3] Fig.1 adjusted for better viewing