Large Scale Dynamical Consequences of Interstellar Magnetic Fields: Evolution of the Parker Instability.

Details Large Scale Dynamical Consequences of Interstellar Magnetic Fields: Evolution of the Parker Instability. Large Scale Dynamical Consequences of Interstellar Magnetic Fields: Evolution of the Parker Instability.

May 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996aps..may.l1404b&link_type=abstract

American Physical Society, APS/AAPT Joint Meeting, May 2-5, 1996, abstract #L14.04

Physics

Scientific paper

Observations show that a large scale interstellar magnetic field (of strength 2-5 ; μ G) lies predominantly parallel to the galactic plane. The highly conducting interstellar gas is partially supported against gravity by the pressure of this magnetic field. Parker (1966, ApJ, 145, 811) showed that an equilibrium gas layer partially supported by a horizontal (parallel to the galactic plane) magnetic field is susceptible to a magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The role of the light and heavy fluids are played by the magnetic field and the interstellar gas, respectively. We review recent two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic calculations of the Parker instability in a galactic gas layer. Modes which allow the field lines to cross the galactic plane evolve more rapidly than modes which preserve reflection symmetry about the galactic plane, and enable the system to more greatly reduce its gravitational potential energy. These modes also result in diffuse gas concentrations that are spaced half as far apart as in the cases with reflection symmetry. Eventually, the nonlinear evolution leads to a new (lower energy) final equilibrium state. The gas concentrations in these states are identified with cloud complexes along the galactic spiral arms.

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