Rossby wave instability in accretion discs with large-scale poloidal magnetic fields

We study the effect of large-scale magnetic fields on the non-axisymmetric Rossby wave instability (RWI) in accretion discs. The instability develops around a density bump, which is likely present in the transition region between the active zone and dead zone of protoplanetary discs. Previous works suggest that the vortices resulting from the RWI may facilitate planetesimal formation and angular momentum transport. We consider discs threaded by a large-scale poloidal magnetic field, with a radial field component at the disc surface. Such field configurations may lead to the production of magnetic winds or jets. In general, the magnetic field can affect the RWI even when it is sub-thermal (plasma beta similar to 10). For infinitely thin discs, the instability can be enhanced by about 10 per cent. For discs with finite thickness, with a radial gradient of the magnetic field strength, the RWI growth rate can increase significantly (by a factor of similar to 2) as the field approaches equipartition (beta similar to 1). Our result suggests that the RWI can continue to operate in discs that produce magnetic winds.