Vertical structure of an astrophysical disk (source code)

= Vertical structure of an astrophysical disk

The \b[<vertical structure of an astrophysical disk>] describes how <mass density>, <pressure> and <temperature> vary away from its midplane. For a thin, centrally dominated gas layer, <hydrostatic equilibrium> gives $dp/dz=-\rho\Omega_z^2z$. An isothermal <ideal gas> has $p=c_s^2\rho$, producing a Gaussian density profile with <disk scale height> $H=c_s/\Omega_z$. Disk <self-gravity> or magnetic support changes that balance.<Dynamics of Astrophysical Discs by Gordon I. Ogilvie>[Lecture7, section7.1: vertical balance and isothermal solution]{ref}