Dynamics of astrophysical discs through local studies of rings

The study of disc structures in the form of narrow rings is motivated by recent observations of such structures around young stars using ALMA. Narrow rings are also known to exist around Saturn and Uranus; some are confined by satellites but others are apparently not, and many have dynamical oscillation modes. "Slender torus" models have also been investigated in the context of accretion discs around black holes. Simulations of warped discs have shown that they have a tendency to separate into mutually inclined rings. This project will use both analytical and computational methods to study a variety of aspects of the dynamics of astrophysical discs with an emphasis on the formation, evolution and dynamics of rings.