太阳多极活动区中的磁重联、剪切低磁弧内的强电流和冕穴结构

探讨了复杂磁结构上空日冕物理状态与磁剪切的关系．结果表明在强磁场的磁中性线上方磁剪切会引起具有强电流和较强等离子体压力的低磁弧．这可解释Ｙｏｈｋｏｈ 卫星的观测结果     

The formation of polar and equatorial condensations of plasma in the proximity of a changing magnetic dipole

The motion of a plasma in a time-dependent dipole magnetic field is considered. It is shown that the increase of the magnetic moment of the dipole (for example, as the result of the explosion of a magnetic star) leads to a concentration of a plasma in the polar regions. Likewise, a decrease of the magnetic moment (contraction of a star) would lead to the concentration of surrounding plasma in the equatorial plane. This process may be of importance in astrophysics and, particularly, in the dynamics of nebulae and non-stationary star envelopes.Translated from the Russian by P. Foukal and D. F. Smith.     

Magnetohydrodynamic behaviour of a finite amplitude disturbance in the solar magnetic field

In this paper, dynamic processes in the solar atmosphere are studied numerically from a complete set of MHD equations. Dynamic evolution of the non-linear magnetic field is produced by the finite amplitude of the azimuthai magnetic field at the base of the flux tube of the solar atmosphere. It is assumed that the initial configuration of the magnetic field is a force-free and potential field, the magnetic field is disturbed at the base, the plasma is driven and a part of the magnetic energy is transformed into the kinetic energy of the plasma.The compressed flow of the plasma has the features of fast MHD waves. The computation results give quantitatively the non-linear evolution of strong magnetic fields. These results could be used in an explanation of coronal transients, surge, spray and eruptive prominence events in the solar atmosphere, as well as in a modelling of plasma behaviour in high-β structure experiments in the laboratory.     

Formation of the plasma mantle in the Venusian magnetosphere

A model of the interaction of the solar wind with Venus is proposed including magnetic barrier formation, ionopause structure, plasma dynamics in the magnetic barrier, and the formation of the Venusian tail (wake). It is shown that under stationary conditions the ionopause is practically an equipotential boundary and its current is determined by a diamagnetic drift. The source of the plasma mantle can be provided by photoions appearing in the magnetic barrier and convecting toward the wake as a result of both magnetic pressure gradient and magnetic tension. The formation of the magnetic tail is determined by convection of magnetic barrier flux tubes in which the solar-wind plasma is replaced by ions of planetary origin. Compared to observational data the proposed model gives somewhat overestimated values of ion convective velocity and magnetic barrier thickness near the terminator and underestimated values of number density and magnetic field strength in the tail. Accordingly this suggests the possible influence of the anomalous ionization effects in the solar wind—Venus interaction.     

Growing electrostatic modes in the isothermal pair plasma of the pulsar magnetosphere

It is shown that a strongly magnetized isothermal pair plasma near the surface of a pulsar supports low-frequency (in comparison to electron cyclotron frequency) toroidal electrostatic plasma modes in the equatorial region. Physically, the thermal pressure coupled with the magnetic pressure creates the low frequency oscillations which may grow for particular case of inhomogeneities of the equilibrium magnetic field and the pair plasma density.     

Multi-channel observations of plasma outflows and the associated small-scale magnetic field cancellations on the edges of an active region

With the SDO/AIA instrument, continuous and intermittent plasma outflows are observed on the boundaries of an active region along two distinct open coronal loops. By investigating the temporal sequence magnetograms obtained from HMI/SDO, it is found that a small-scale magnetic reconnection probably plays an important role in the generation of the plasma outflows in the coronal loops. It is found that the origin of the plasma outflows coincides with the locations of the small-scale magnetic fields with mixed polarities, which suggests that the plasma outflows along coronal loops probably results from the magnetic reconnection between the small-scale closed emerging loops and the large-scale open active region coronal loops.     

The example of effective plasma acceleration in a magnetosphere

The problem of effective transform of Poynting flux energy into the kinetic energy of relativistic plasma outflow in a magnetosphere is considered. In this article we present an example of such acceleration. In order to perform it, we use the approach of ideal axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). For highly magnetized plasma outflow we show that a linear growth of Lorentz factor with a cylindrical distance from the rotational axis is a general result for any field configuration in the sub-magnetosonic flow. In the far region the full magnetohydrodynamics problem for one-dimensional flow is considered. It turns out that the effective plasma outflow acceleration is possible in the paraboloidal magnetic field. It is shown that such an acceleration is due to the drift of charged particles in the crossed electric and magnetic field. The clear explanation of the absence of acceleration in the monopole magnetic field if given.      

Modulational instability of self-generated magnetic fields

It is shown analytically that self-generated magnetic fields are modulationally unstable with respect to the uniform state of a plasma; such an instability would localize the magnetic field. This localized magnetic flux may well produce small-scale intermittent magnetic fields in coronal active regions or solar flares.     

Solar plasma structuring due to two-dimensional pinch effect over the photosphere

We study the behavior of the solar plasma over the photosphere in the zone of contact of oppositely directed magnetic fields. A special technique of numerical simulation is used, which allows passing to the class of generalized functions as soon as the solution loses smoothness. An initial-value problem is solved for the self-consistent nonlinear system of equations of collisional magneto-gas-dynamics under the assumption that the distribution of physical quantities is two-dimensional and the plasma has an initial temperature of 50 000 degrees. It is assumed that the magnetic field lines are straight, the physical quantities are constant along them, and the resulting fluid velocity is perpendicular to the magnetic field. It is shown that a pinch effect develops under such conditions, which gives rise to much more diverse effects in a natural ambient medium than in a laboratory plasma. The pinch effect produces narrow, variously directed jets of matter (including those going beyond the zone of contact of the fields), forms cross-shaped patterns in the distribution of the magnetic field, velocity and density, and gives rise to specific temperature nonuniformities. In the center of the contact zone, the plasma temperature increases (we terminate the computations when it doubles). The jet velocity can exceed 20 km/s.     

The curvature radiation of cosmic monopoles

It is shown that curvature radiation of magnetic monopole is suppressed in a plasma medium.     

Interstellar turbulent magnetic field generation by plasma instabilities

The maximum magnetic field strength generated by Weibel-type plasma instabilities is estimated for typical conditions in the interstellar medium. The relevant kinetic dispersion relations are evaluated by conducting a parameter study both for Maxwellian and for suprathermal particle distributions showing that micro Gauss magnetic fields can be generated. It is shown that, depending on the streaming velocity and the plasma temperatures, either the longitudinal or a transverse instability will be dominant. In the presence of an ambient magnetic field, the filamentation instability is typically suppressed while the two-stream and the classic Weibel instability are retained.     

Tearing instability in the pulsar magnetosphere

Equations governing the coupling of the scalar and vector potentials for a resistive electron-positron plasma in a strong magnetic field are derived. It is shown that in the presence of magnetic shear, a tearing instability may occur. The latter can lead to magnetic field line reconnection and the formation of magnetic islands which could affect the dynamics of the pulsar magnetosphere.     

Dynamics of cosmic current layers with localized lower-hybrid-drift turbulence

A two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic model of the dynamics of tail-like current layers caused by anomalous electrical resistivity in a plasma with lower-hybrid-drift (LHD) turbulence is considered. Additionally to the LHD-resistivity, a resistivity pulse in the magnetic neutral sheet is given initiating a magnetic reconnection process. Then the temporal and spatial evolution of the magnetic and electric fields, the plasma convection and the anomalous resistivity are obtained numerically. Taking into account more exact expressions for the LHD-resistivity in the current layer as done in former works, the LHD-turbulence is found to be excited farther from the neutral sheet, and thus, with the time, secondary current sheets are obtained in the plasma-magnetic field system. It is shown that the inductive electric field moving from the magnetic neutral sheet to the current layer periphery during the reconnection process may be considered as indicator of the plasma disturbances.     

Current-driven plasma turbulence in a magnetic flux tube

The behaviour of a multi-component anisotropic plasma in a magnetic flux tube is studied in the presence of current-driven electrostatic ion-cyclotron turbulence. The plasma transport is considered in both parallel and perpendicular directions with respect to the given tube. As one of the sources of the parallel electric field, the anomalous resistivityof the plasma caused by the turbulence is taken into account. The acceleration and heating processes of the plasma are simulated numerically. It is found that at the upper boundary of the nightside auroral ionosphere, the resonant wave-particle interactions are most effective in the case of upward field-aligned currents with densities of a few 10^—6 A/m². The occurring anomalous resistivity maycause differences of the electric potential along the magnetic field lines of some kV. Further it is shown that the thickness of the magnetic flux tube and the intensity of the convection strongly influence the turbulent plasma heating.     

The formation of magnetic channels

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 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.     

Effect of magnetic resistivity on the stability of a partially ionized compressible Hall plasma

The dynamic stability of a partially ionized, compressible Hall plasma of finite electrical conductivity has been investigated when the plasma is immersed in a uniform, horizontal magnetic field. Based on the variational principle, which is shown to characterize the problem, the solution has been obtained for a semi-infinite plasma confined between two planes and having an exponential density stratification along the vertical. It is found that the effect of neutral gas friction is stabilizing while magnetic resistivity, Hall currents and compressibility all have destabilizing influence.On leave of absence from Department of Mathematics, University of Jodhpur, Jodhpur, India.     

A radiation-driven disc wind model for massive young stellar objects

The generation of magnetic fields by a battery, operating in an ion–electron plasma around a Kerr black hole, is studied in the 3+1 split of the Kerr metric. It is found that the gravitomagnetic contributions to the electron partial pressure are able to drive currents. The strength of the equilibrium magnetic field should be higher than for the classical Biermann battery, which is found to operate in this relativistic context as well, since the gravitomagnetic driving terms can less easily be quenched than the classical ones. In axisymmetry the battery can induce only toroidal magnetic fields. Once a toroidal magnetic field is present, however, the coupling of gravitomagnetic and electromagnetic fields generates a poloidal magnetic field even in axisymmetry. A rotating black hole, embedded in plasma, will therefore always generate toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields.     

Plasma turbulence in solar flares as an explanation of some observed phenomena

It is suggested that, in Petschek's model of magnetic field annihilation, plasma which flows through the boundary layer where its magnetic energy is released is rendered highly turbulent by current driven electrostatic instability. This leads to a physical insight into the mechanism of dissipation, and, by analogy with laboratory experiments on turbulent plasma, can explain the observed X-ray and microwave emissions.When the microstructure is calculated using electrical conductivity appropriate to highly turbulent plasma, a field configuration exists in which protons can be accelerated to very high energies. The results of some numerical calculations of this process are presented.     

Self-Generated Inhomogeneous Magnetic Fields in Auroral Zones with Kilometric Radiation

It is analytically indicated that self-generated magnetic fields are modulationally unstable with respect to the uniform state of a plasma; such an instability would cause the formation of the field localization. It is able to expect that this localized magnetic flux is responsible for small-scale inhomogeneous magnetic fields, which are required for explanation of the fine structure of auroral kilometric radiaton (AKR). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Distributions of tangential discontinuity in the corotating solar wind structure

Distributions of the tangential discontinuity (TD) in the solar wind sector structure are investigated on the basis of the magnetic field data and the ion plasma parameters from the Explorer 33 satellite from 23 January to 23 March 1968. The TD is separated from the observed field fluctuations by calculating the direction of the plasma flow and also the direction of the minimum field fluctuation with respect to the ambient magnetic field direction.It is found that the TD is formed by the thin layered field-aligned currents (the current sheets), and that the TD is predominantly built up in the leading edge of the solar wind where the compression of the plasma and the magnetic field takes place.It is suggested that the current sheets might be locally generated in the leading edge in the turbulent conditions arising from collisions between the fast- and the slow-stream of the solar sector structure.