The inner regions of protoplanetary disks, where the majority of currently detected exoplanets and the terrestrial planets of our Solar System are located, are prone to various forms of instability. In particular, the transition between the innermost highly turbulent region and the low-turbulence "dead zone" poses significant challenges for long-term dynamic modelling. I will present radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that show large-scale variability on hundred- to
thousand-year timescales, in the form of episodic accretion outbursts, as an intrinsic consequence of the inner disk architecture. These periodic events significantly reshape the density, pressure and temperature structure, potentially having impactful consequences for the formation and migration of planets in the inner disk regions. I will also elaborate on the sensitivity of the instability mechanism and burst morphologies on opacities and large-scale magnetic fields. Despite the significant computational challenges and the physical complexity of the inner disk regions, our models strongly imply that the innermost few AU of a protoplanetary disk are not dynamically stable over long timescales, which should be taken into account when investigating the formation and migration of planets close to their host star.

recording: www.youtube.com/watch