Evolution of the radial surface density profile for four limit-case viscosity transitions. Simulations shown here combine α_DZ = 10⁻³ (left column) and 5 × 10⁻⁴ (right column) with α_MRI = 10⁻¹ (top row) and 10⁻² (bottom row). The black curve corresponds to the unperturbed disk. Coloured curves correspond to different simulation times t as indicated by the plot legend. The planet is kept fixed for t = 10⁴ and 1.5 × 10⁴ P_orb when α_DZ = 10⁻³ and 5 × 10⁻⁴, respectively. At larger times, the planet is allowed to migrate freely. The vertical dashed line marks the final location of the planet in simulations where trapping occurs. We point out that by setting Ṁ based on α_DZ (see Sect. 3.1), the unperturbed density profile in the dead zone is identical in each simulation.