Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21543415n&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #434.15; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.377
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We introduce a new paradigm for understanding the jet in M87: a collimated relativistic flow in which strong magnetic fields play a dominant dynamical role. Here we focus on the flow downstream of HST-1 - an essentially stationary flaring feature that ejects trails of superluminal components. We propose that these components are quad relativistic MHD shock fronts (forward fast/slow and reverse slow/fast modes) in a narrow jet with a helically twisted magnetic structure. And we demonstrate the properties of such shocks with simple one-dimensional numerical simulations. Quasi-periodic ejections of similar component trails may be responsible for the M87 jet substructures observed further downstream on kpc scales. This new paradigm requires the assimilation of some new concepts into the astrophysical jet community, particularly the behavior of slow/fast-mode waves/shocks and of current-driven helical kink instabilities. However, the prospects of these ideas applying to a large number of other jet systems may make this worth the effort. M.N. greatly acknowledges support from the Allan C. Davis fellowship jointly awarded by the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute. Part of this research described was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Garofalo D. A.
Meier David L.
Nakamura Masanori
No associations
LandOfFree
A Magnetohydrodynamic Model of the M87 Jet I: Superluminal Knot Ejections from HST-1 as Trails of Quad Relativistic MHD Shocks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with A Magnetohydrodynamic Model of the M87 Jet I: Superluminal Knot Ejections from HST-1 as Trails of Quad Relativistic MHD Shocks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A Magnetohydrodynamic Model of the M87 Jet I: Superluminal Knot Ejections from HST-1 as Trails of Quad Relativistic MHD Shocks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-968417