Analytical Solution of Magnetically Dominated Astrophysical Jets and Winds: Jet Launching, Acceleration, and Collimation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-13-2021

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal

Volume

906

Issue

2

First page number:

1

Last page number:

34

Abstract

We present an analytical solution of a highly magnetized jet/wind flow. The left side of the general force-free jet/wind equation (the "pulsar" equation) is separated into a rotating and a nonrotating term. The two equations with either term can be solved analytically, and the two solutions match each other very well. Therefore, we obtain a general approximate solution of a magnetically dominated jet/wind, which covers from the nonrelativistic to relativistic regimes, with the drift velocity well matching the cold plasma velocity. The acceleration of a jet includes three stages. (1) The jet flow is located within the Alfvén critical surface (i.e., the light cylinder), has a nonrelativistic speed, and is dominated by toroidal motion. (2) The jet is beyond the Alfvén critical surface where the flow is dominated by poloidal motion and becomes relativistic. The total velocity in these two stages follows the same law vΓ = ΩR. (3) The evolution law is replaced by... (see full abstract in article).

Disciplines

Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics | Navigation, Guidance, Control and Dynamics

Language

English

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