Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2002/iii/paper-46/2/ii/solution

In the limiting model with negligible gas pressure, . Its gradient is . Combining radiative diffusion and hydrostatic equilibrium gives
Because and are constant with height at the fixed disk radius,
Equating this to the viscous heating rate forces
This proves constant viscosity in radiation-supported vertical balance. It fixes the local effective dynamic viscosity uniquely, independent of height, surface density and radius within this ideal limiting model. It does not fix a height-independent kinematic viscosity: still depends on the local mass density.

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