If angular velocity is independent of height, integrating the viscous stress gives . Thus the surface density weighted average, rather than an unweighted height average, enters vertically averaged viscous disk equations.
Use and in the vertically averaged viscous disk equations. The radial drift is . Conservation of mass gives this nonlinear diffusion equation. It assumes the central rotation law remains fixed and excludes wind/surface torque terms.
Assume an axisymmetric thin disc rotating in the fixed potential of a dominant central mass, with independent of time and height. Neglect vertical mass loss and vertical angular-momentum flux at the two faces, as well as self-gravity and radial pressure corrections to the rotation law. Define the surface density and density-weighted kinematic viscosity by
and let . These assumptions give the vertically averaged viscous disk equations
where is specific angular momentum. Subtract times conservation of mass from conservation of angular momentum. Since is fixed in time,
Substitution into conservation of mass proves the Keplerian viscous diffusion equation
No assumption of height-independent kinematic viscosity is needed; its density-weighted average is the one appearing in the integrated stress. A wind or surface magnetic stress would add terms and must not be silently discarded.