Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
May 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993em%26p...61..141i&link_type=abstract
Earth, Moon, and Planets (ISSN 0167-9295), vol. 61, no. 2, p. 141-149.
Physics
Plasma Physics
1
Comets, Magnetic Field Configurations, Plasma Jets, Shear Layers, Vortices, Astronomical Models, Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability, Rigid Rotors (Plasma Physics), Vortex Breakdown
Scientific paper
The model problem simulating a vortex development is solved numerically. Breakdown of the velocity sheared layer due to the nonlinear evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is shown to lead to the wave crest overturning and, eventually, to the formation of a large-scale vortex. The magnetic field strength in the vortex core turns out to be lower than that in the ambient plasma, so that vortex core may be called 'the magnetic channel'. The mechanism of the magnetic field generation by a single vortex is studied analytically within the framework of magnetokinematics. It appeared that there is no magnetic field generation in the vortex core where rotation of the plasma is rigid. Therefore, the magnetic field here is reduced, and hence the plasma density is enhanced. These results seem to support the hypothesis of the comet ray origin as magnetically channeled outflow: the magnetic channel might become visible as a comet ray against adjacent plasma of lesser density outside the magnetic channel.
Ershkovich A. I.
Ioffe Z. M.
Israelevich Peter L.
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