A NEW MECHANISM FOR DISSIPATION OF ALTERNATING FIELDS IN POYNTING-DOMINATED OUTFLOWS

Journal Article · Mon Dec 20 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/725/2/L234· OSTI ID:21454876

Lyubarsky, Yuri ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, Ben-Gurion University, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel)

Reconnection of alternating magnetic fields is an important energy transformation mechanism in Poynting-dominated outflows. We show that the reconnection is facilitated by the Kruskal-Schwarzschild instability of current sheets separating the oppositely directed fields. This instability, which is a magnetic counterpart of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, develops if the flow is accelerated. Then the plasma drips out of the current sheet, providing conditions for rapid reconnection. Since the magnetic dissipation leads to the flow acceleration, the process is self-sustaining. In pulsar winds, this process could barely compete with the earlier proposed dissipation mechanisms. However, the novel mechanism turns out to be very efficient at active galactic nucleus and gamma-ray burst conditions.

• OSTI ID: 21454876
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 725, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/725/2/L234; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
GALAXIES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PULSARS
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MECHANICS
PRIMARY COSMIC RADIATION
RADIATIONS