DYNAMICAL FRICTION IN A GASEOUS MEDIUM WITH A LARGE-SCALE MAGNETIC FIELD
- Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City (Mexico)
The dynamical friction force experienced by a massive gravitating body moving through a gaseous medium is modified by sufficiently strong large-scale magnetic fields. Using linear perturbation theory, we calculate the structure of the wake generated by, and the gravitational drag force on, a body traveling in a straight-line trajectory in a uniformly magnetized medium. The functional form of the drag force as a function of the Mach number ({identical_to} V{sub 0}/c{sub s} , where V{sub 0} is the velocity of the body and c{sub s} is the sound speed) depends on the strength of the magnetic field and on the angle between the velocity of the perturber and the direction of the magnetic field. In particular, the peak value of the drag force is not near Mach number {approx}1 for a perturber moving in a sufficiently magnetized medium. As a rule of thumb, we may state that for supersonic motion, magnetic fields act to suppress dynamical friction; for subsonic motion, they tend to enhance dynamical friction. For perturbers moving along the magnetic field lines, the drag force at some subsonic Mach numbers may be stronger than at supersonic velocities. We also mention the relevance of our findings to black hole coalescence in galactic nuclei.
- OSTI ID:
- 22011905
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 745, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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