Magnetic-Tower Jet Solution for Launching Astrophysical Jets

In spite of the large number of global three-dimensional (3-D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of accretion disks and astrophysical jets, which have been developed since 2000, the launching mechanisms of jets is somewhat controversial. Previous studies of jets have concentrated on the effect of the large-scale magnetic fields permeating accretion disks. However, the existence of such global magnetic fields is not evident in various astrophysical objects, and their origin is not well understood. Thus, we study the effect of small-scale magnetic fields confined within the accretion disk. We review our recent findings on the formation of jets in dynamo-active accretion disks by using 3-D MHD simulations. In our simulations, we found the emergence of accumulated azimuthal magnetic fields from the inner region of the disk (the so-called magnetic tower) and also the formation of a jet accelerated by the magnetic pressure of the tower. Our results indicate that the magnetic tower jet is one of the most promising mechanisms for launching jets from the magnetized accretion disk in various astrophysical objects. We will discuss the formation of cosmic jets in the context of the magnetic tower model.     

Two-flow magnetohydrodynamical jets around young stellar objects

We present the first-ever simulations of non-ideal magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) stellar winds coupled with disc-driven jets where the resistive and viscous accretion disc is self-consistently described. The transmagnetosonic, collimated MHD outflows are investigated numerically using the VAC code. Our simulations show that the inner outflow is accelerated from the central object hot corona thanks to both the thermal pressure and the Lorentz force. In our framework, the thermal acceleration is sustained by the heating produced by the dissipated magnetic energy due to the turbulence. Conversely, the outflow launched from the resistive accretion disc is mainly accelerated by the magneto-centrifugal force. We also show that when a dense inner stellar wind occurs, the resulting disc-driven jet have a different structure, namely a magnetic structure where poloidal magnetic field lines are more inclined because of the pressure caused by the stellar wind. This modification leads to both an enhanced mass ejection rate in the disc-driven jet and a larger radial extension which is in better agreement with the observations besides being more consistent.     

修正的粘滞律及有磁吸积盘的稳定性研究

本文采用修正的粘滞定律及磁流体力学研究了薄吸积盘内区及外区的稳定性问题。运用微扰方法导出了色散方程，分析了四种情况下吸积盘的不稳定性，结果表明：在同时考虑磁场和修正的粘滞律时，吸积盘中存在着三种振荡模式，其中粘滞模式总是稳定的，磁声速模式（包括向里、向外传播两种模式）通常是不稳定的。这些结果为解释ＢＬ Ｌａｃ天体、Ｓｅｙｆｅｒｔ星系、类星体等活动星系核的光变现象提供了理论依据。     

An unconventional accretion disc dynamo

In the light of recent results from numerical simulations of accretion disc MHD turbulence, we revisit the problem of the configuration of large-scale magnetic fields resulting from an α Ω dynamo operating in a thin accretion disc. In particular, we analyse the consequences of the peculiar sign of the α -effect suggested by numerical simulations . We determine the symmetry of the fastest-growing modes in the kinematic dynamo approximation and, in the framework of an ' α -quenched' dynamo model, study the evolution of the magnetic field. We find that the resulting field for this negative polarity of the α -effect generally has dipole symmetry with respect to the disc midplane, although the existence of an equilibrium configuration depends on the properties of the turbulence. The role of magnetic field dragging is discussed and, finally, the presence of an external uniform magnetic field is included to address the issue of magneto centrifugal wind launching from accretion discs.     

Self-similar solution of hot accretion flows with ordered magnetic field and outflow

Observations and numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations indicate the existence of outflows and ordered large-scale magnetic fields in the inner region of hot accretion flows. In this paper, we present the self-similar solutions for advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs) with outflows and ordered magnetic fields. Stimulated by numerical simulations, we assume that the magnetic field has a strong toroidal component and a vertical component in addition to a stochastic component. We obtain the self-similar solutions to the equations describing the magnetized ADAFs, taking into account the dynamical effects of the outflow. We compare the results with the canonical ADAFs and find that the dynamical properties of ADAFs such as radial velocity, angular velocity and temperature can be significantly changed in the presence of ordered magnetic fields and outflows. The stronger the magnetic field is, the lower the temperature of the accretion flow will be and the faster the flow rotates. The relevance to observations is briefly discussed.     

Magnetohydrodynamic instabilities and turbulence in accretion disks

In this paper we review the possibilities for magnetohydrodynamic processes to handle the angular momentum transport in accretion disks. Traditionally the angular momentum transport has been considered to be the result of turbulent viscosity in the disk, although the Keplerian flow in accretion disks is linearly stable towards hydrodynamic perturbations. It is on the other hand linearly unstable to some magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities. The most important instabilities are the Parker and Balbus-Hawley instabilities that are related to the magnetic buoyancy and the shear flow, respectively. We discuss these instabilities not only in the traditional MHD framework, but also in the context of slender flux tubes, that reduce the complexity of the problem while keeping most of the stability properties of the complete problem. In the non-linear regime the instabilities produce turbulence. Recent numerical simulations describe the generation of magnetic fields by a dynamo in the resulting turbulent flow. Eventually such a dynamo may generate a global magnetic field in the disk. The relation of the MHD-turbulence to observations of accretion disks is still obscure. It is commonly believed that magnetic fields can be highly efficient in transporting the angular momentum, but emission lines, short-time scale variability and non-thermal radiation, which a stellar astronomer would take as signs of magnetic variability, are more commonly observed during periods of low accretion rates. Received October 12, 1995 / Accepted November 16, 1995     

Simulation of the Magnetothermal Instability

In many magnetized, dilute astrophysical plasmas, thermal conduction occurs almost exclusively parallel to magnetic field lines. In this case, the usual stability criterion for convective stability, the Schwarzschild criterion, which depends on entropy gradients, is modified. In the magnetized long mean free path regime, instability occurs for small wavenumbers when (∂ P/∂z) (∂ ln T/∂ z) > 0, which we refer to as the Balbus criterion. We refer to the convective-type instability that results as the magnetothermal instability (MTI). We use the equations of MHD with anisotropic electron heat conduction to numerically simulate the linear growth and nonlinear saturation of the MTI in plane-parallel atmospheres that are unstable according to the Balbus criterion. The linear growth rates measured from the simulations are in excellent agreement with the weak field dispersion relation. The addition of isotropic conduction, e.g. radiation, or strong magnetic fields can damp the growth of the MTI and affect the nonlinear regime. The instability saturates when the atmosphere becomes isothermal as the source of free energy is exhausted. By maintaining a fixed temperature difference between the top and bottom boundaries of the simulation domain, sustained convective turbulence can be driven. MTI-stable layers introduced by isotropic conduction are used to prevent the formation of unresolved, thermal boundary layers. We find that the largest component of the time-averaged heat flux is due to advective motions as opposed to the actual thermal conduction itself. Finally, we explore the implications of this instability for a variety of astrophysical systems, such as neutron stars, the hot intracluster medium of galaxy clusters, and the structure of radiatively inefficient accretion flows. J. M. Stone: Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544     

3D simulations of rotationally-induced line variability from a classical T Tauri star with a misaligned magnetic dipole

We present 3D simulations of rotationally induced line variability arising from complex circumstellar environment of classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) using the results of the 3D magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations of Romanova et al., who considered accretion on to a CTTS with a misaligned dipole magnetic axis with respect to the rotational axis. The density, velocity and temperature structures of the MHD simulations are mapped on to the radiative transfer grid, and corresponding line source function and the observed profiles of neutral hydrogen lines (Hβ, Paβ and Brγ) are computed using the Sobolev escape probability method. We study the dependency of line variability on inclination angles ( i ) and magnetic axis misalignment angles (Θ). We find the line profiles are relatively insensitive to the details of the temperature structure of accretion funnels, but are influenced more by the mean temperature of the flow and its geometry. By comparing our models with the Paβ profiles of 42 CTTS observed by Folha & Emerson, we find that models with a smaller misaligngment angle  (Θ < ∼15°)  are more consistent with the observations which show that majority of Paβ are rather symmetric around the line centre. For a high inclination system with a small dipole misalignment angle  (Θ≈ 15°)  , only one accretion funnel (on the upper hemisphere) is visible to an observer at any given rotational phase. This can cause an anticorrelation of the line equivalent to the width in the blue wing  ( v < 0)  and that in the red wing  ( v > 0)  over half of a rotational period, and a positive correlation over the other half. We find a good overall agreement of the line variability behaviour predicted by our model and those from observations.     

The inner magnetized regions of circumstellar accretion discs

In this lecture, I will briefly address several phenomena expected when magnetic fields are present in the innermost regions of circumstellar accretion discs: (i) the magneto-rotational instability and related “dead zones”; (ii) the formation of magnetically-driven jets and the observational constraints derived from Classical T Tauri stars; (iii) the magnetic star–disc interactions and their expected role in the stellar spin down.It should be noted that the magnetic fields invoked here are organized large scale magnetic fields, not turbulent small scale ones. I will therefore first argue why one can safely expect these fields to be present in circumstellar accretion discs. Objects devoid of such large scale fields would not be able to drive jets. A global picture is thus gradually emerging where the magnetic flux is an important control parameter of the star formation process as a whole. High angular resolution technics, by probing the innermost circumstellar disc regions should provide valuable constraints.     

On the origin and structure of stellar magnetic fields

Newly formed stars have magnetic fields provided by the compression of the interstellar field, and contrary to a widely accepted idea these fields are not destroyed by convective motions. For the same reason, the fallacy of ‘turbulent diffusion’, turbulent dynamo action is not possible in any star. Thus all stellar magnetic fields have a common origin, and persist throughout the lifetime of each star, including degenerate phases. This common origin, and a general similarity in stellar evolutionary processes, suggest that the fields may develop similar structural characteristics and MHD effects. This would open new possibilities of coordinating the studies of different types of stars and relating them to solar physics which has tended to become isolated from general stellar physics. As an initial step we consider three features of solar magnetic fields and their MHD effects. First, the solar magnetic field comprises two separate components: a poloidal field and a toroidal field. The former is a dipole field, permeating the entire Sun and closely aligned with the rotational axis; at the surface it is always concealed by much stronger elements of the toroidal field. The latter is probably wound from the former by differential rotation at latitudes below about 35°, where sections emerge through the solar surface and are then carried polewards. The second feature of solar magnetic fields is that all flux is concentrated into flux tubes of strength some kG, isolated within a much larger volume of non-magnetic plasma. The third feature is that the flux tubes are helically twisted into flux ropes (up to ?10²²Mx) and smaller elements ranging down to flux fibres (? 10¹⁸Mx). Some implications of similar features in other stars are discussed.     

Launching jets from accretion belts

We propose that sub-Keplerian accretion belts around stars might launch jets. The sub-Keplerian inflow does not form a rotationally supported accretion disk, but it rather reaches the accreting object from a wide solid angle. The basic ingredients of the flow are a turbulent region where the accretion belt interacts with the accreting object via a shear layer, and two avoidance regions on the poles where the accretion rate is very low. A dynamo that is developed in the shear layer amplifies magnetic fields to high values. It is likely that the amplified magnetic fields form polar outflows from the avoidance regions. Our speculative belt-launched jets model has implications on a rich variety of astrophysical objects, from the removal of common envelopes to the explosion of core collapse supernovae by jittering jets.     

Linkage between accretion disks and blazars

The magnetic field in an accretion disk is estimated assuming that all of the angular momentum within prescribed accretion disk radii is removed by a jet. The magnetic field estimated at the base of the jet is extrapolated to the blazar emission region using a model for a relativistic axisymmetric jet combined with some simplifying assumptions based on the relativistic nature of the flow. The extrapolated magnetic field is compared with estimates based upon the synchrotron and inverse Compton emission from three blazars, MKN 501, MKN 421 and PKS 2155-304. The magnetic fields evaluated from pure synchrotron self-Compton models are inconsistent with the magnetic fields extrapolated in this way. However, in two cases inverse Compton models in which a substantial part of the soft photon field is generated locally agree well, mainly because these models imply magnetic field strengths consistent with an important Poynting Flux component. This comparison is based on estimating the mass accretion rate from the jet energy flux. Further comparisons along these lines will be facilitated by independent estimates of the mass accretion rate in blazars and by more detailed models for jet propagation near the black hole.     

From Small-Scale Dynamo to Isotropic MHD Turbulence

We consider the problem of incompressible, forced, nonhelical, homogeneous, isotropic MHD turbulence with no mean magnetic field. This problem is essentially different from the case with externally imposed uniform mean field. There is no scale-by-scale equipartition between magnetic and kinetic energies as would be the case for the Alfvén-wave turbulence. The isotropic MHD turbulence is the end state of the turbulent dynamo which generates folded fields with small-scale direction reversals. We propose that the statistics seen in numerical simulations of isotropic MHD turbulence could be explained as a superposition of these folded fields and Alfvén-like waves that propagate along the folds.     

Stability of Accretion Models

A critical analysis of standard accretion models is presented. We consider the stability of models in the theories of disc accretion onto black holes and spherical/disc accretion onto a magnetosphere. We take into account realistic physics processes and geometry (inner magnetic field in the accreted plasma, finite conductivity, finite length of the field lines, finite rotation of the accreted object, and magnetic shear on the boundary between the magnetosphere and accreted plasma). The influence of these factors leads to radical changes of both the accretion as whole and the energy release in the accreting system. Strong current-sheet and Z-pinch-like structures should arise over the polar region of the accreting object. Particle acceleration in the electric fields of current discharges in these regions may be a source of efficient conversion of energy into nonthermal particles and of the emission observed from many accreting objects.     

Results of magnetic field measurements in young stars DO Tau, DR Tau, and DS Tau

The results of longitudinal magnetic field measurements B _z in the hot accretion spot in three classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) are reported. In all three stars the magnetic field is detected at a level above 2σ in the formation region of the narrow component of the He I 5876 Å emission line. In the case of DS Tau the longitudinal field B _z in the hot spot was also measured from the narrow emission components of the Na I D lines, implying +0.8 ± 0.3 kG, which is equal to the B _z field component measured from the He I 5876 Å line. Our results suggest that the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory can be used to study magnetic fields in the hot spots of CTTS with magnitudes down to 13^m, making it possible to double the number of stars of this type with measured B _z values in the accretion zone.     

Compressible turbulence in Hall Magnetohydrodynamics

By direct numerical simulations we investigate the nonlinear dynamics of a compressible Hall Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasma. At small scales, where the Hall effect dominates, we found an increase of the compressibility of the system and the breakdown of the strong link between velocity and magnetic fields, typical of usual MHD. Moreover, we find that small-scale fluctuations are characterized by an anti-correlation between density and magnetic field intensity. These features characterize the excitation of a quasi-perpendicular magnetosonic turbulence that can be interpreted as the small-scale signature of the break-down of the MHD nonlinear energy cascade due to Hall effect. Fluctuations with the same properties, based on measurements by Cluster spacecraft in space plasma turbulence during different magnetopause crossings, have been recently observed.     

Surface magnetic fields on two accreting T Tauri stars: CV Cha and CR Cha

We have produced brightness and magnetic field maps of the surfaces of CV Cha and CR Cha: two actively accreting G- and K-type T Tauri stars in the Chamaeleon I star-forming cloud with ages of 3–5 Myr. Our magnetic field maps show evidence for strong, complex multipolar fields similar to those obtained for young rapidly rotating main-sequence stars. Brightness maps indicate the presence of dark polar caps and low-latitude spots – these brightness maps are very similar to those obtained for other pre-main-sequence and rapidly rotating main-sequence stars.
Only two other classical T Tauri stars have been studied using similar techniques so far: V2129 Oph and BP Tau. CV Cha and CR Cha show magnetic field patterns that are significantly more complex than those recovered for BP Tau, a fully convective T Tauri star.
We discuss possible reasons for this difference and suggest that the complexity of the stellar magnetic field is related to the convection zone; with more complex fields being found in T Tauri stars with radiative cores (V2129 Oph, CV Cha and CR Cha). However, it is clearly necessary to conduct magnetic field studies of T Tauri star systems, exploring a wide range of stellar parameters in order to establish how they affect magnetic field generation, and thus how these magnetic fields are likely to affect the evolution of T Tauri star systems as they approach the main sequence.     

Features of multi-dipole magnetic field structures in CP stars

Ten of the sixty investigated magnetic stars have two- or three-dipole structures. From the viewpoint of the relic hypothesis a wide variety of magnetic field structures and strengths allows to assume that in the initial phases of formation of magnetic stars, their fields were even more entangled and heterogeneous than now. This may be due to the complex structure of protostellar clouds, the consequence of non-stationary processes during the collapse, and, probably, the result of subsequent accretion interactions. The expected variation of the large-scale structure with age is lost at the background of a wide variety of structures, depending on the initial conditions. Complex structures occur both in the stars at ZAMS, and in the stars leaving the Main Sequence. As a result of quadratic dependence of the magnetic structure lifetime on their characteristic dimensions, large-scale configurations can exist for times comparable to the lifetime of stellar magnetic field, i.e. τ ≥ 10⁹ yrs. One of the common properties of multi-dipole stars is that the centers of the dipoles are predominantly located in the equatorial plane of rotation. In the majority of studied objects magnetic dipoles (i.e. the regions with the maximum field) are shifted from the center of the star by the distance greater than the radius of the convective core (approximately 0.1R*). This may indicate that the poloidal field is not compatible with the convective core and is not generated therein. Large distances between the monopoles, comparable to the radii of the stars are typical. This may be a sign indicating that inside the stars the field structure is slightly different from the dipole, what implies that the dipole is not a mathematical point, but rather some highly magnetized volume inside the star, comparable to a magnetized rod.     

Accretion disc models around compact objects

We present a survey of accretion disc models around compact objects — in particular the accretion onto white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. We discuss both the thin disc as well as thick disc models and also the feaibility where either of these can be applied in the astrophysical systems. The crucial role of magnetic field in facilitating the formation of accretion discs in neutron stars is indicated. The prime significance of accretion discs in the generation of soft and hard X-rays is also discussed. Thick disc models are found to explain the observations of active galactic nuclei and also collimated and persistent jets in some of the radio sources.