Current-driven instabilities in astrophysical jets: Non linear development

Thibaut Lery*, H. Baty, S. Appl

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    32 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    The non linear development of instabilities driven by the presence of an electric current is investigated for magnetized jets using 3-dimensional MHD simulations. General magnetic equilibria for cold supermagnetosonic jets with constant velocity are considered in order to study the influence of the initial configuration on the non linear evolution. It is found that the current density is redistributed within the inner part of the jet radius with a characteristic time scale and an axial wavelength in agreement with the linear analysis. For equilibria having a pitch profile that increases with radius, an internal helical ribbon with a high current density is forming. It gives rise to considerable dissipation which is radially localized, and may result in heating and particle acceleration within the jet.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)1201-1208
    Number of pages8
    JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics
    Volume355
    Issue number3
    StatePublished - Dec 1 2000

    Keywords

    • Galaxies: active
    • Galaxies: jets
    • ISM: jets and outflows
    • Instabilities
    • Magnetic fields

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Astronomy and Astrophysics
    • Space and Planetary Science

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