Pointwise alpha-prescription obstruction in a radiation-supported layer

ID: pointwise-alpha-prescription-obstruction-in-a-radiation-supported-layer

In the exact constant-opacity, pure-radiation pressure diffusion model, dynamic viscosity is height-independent. Imposing an additional exact pointwise relation forces constant pressure, incompatible with nonzero vertical hydrostatic equilibrium away from the midplane. The characteristic-pressure alpha disk prescription can still be used for order-of-magnitude scalings; it is not an exact simultaneous vertical solution.

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