Dynamic and Stagnating Plasma Flow Leading to Magnetic-Flux-Tube Collimation

Journal Article · Fri Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.045002· OSTI ID:20696479

You, S; Yun, G S; Bellan, P M ^[1]

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1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States)

Highly collimated, plasma-filled magnetic-flux tubes are frequently observed on galactic, stellar, and laboratory scales. We propose that a single, universal magnetohydrodynamic pumping process explains why such collimated, plasma-filled magnetic-flux tubes are ubiquitous. Experimental evidence from carefully diagnosed laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets confirms this assertion and is reported here. The magnetohydrodynamic process pumps plasma into a magnetic-flux tube and the stagnation of the resulting flow causes this flux tube to become collimated.

• OSTI ID: 20696479
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 95, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.045002; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
SIMULATION
TUBES