A new numerical scheme for structures of rotating magnetic stars

We have developed a new numerical scheme for obtaining structures of rapidly rotating stars with strong magnetic fields. In our scheme, both poloidal and toroidal magnetic fields can be treated for stars with compressibility and infinite conductivity. By introducing the vector potential and its integral representation, we can treat the boundary condition for the magnetic fields across the surface properly. We show structures and distributions of magnetic fields as well as the distributions of the currents of rotating magnetic polytropic stars with polytropic index   N = 1.5  . The shapes of magnetic stars are oblate as long as the magnetic vector potential decreases as 1/ r when   r →∞  . For extremely strong magnetic fields, equilibrium configurations can be of toroidal shapes.     

On the origin of warps and the role of the intergalactic medium

There is still no consensus as to what causes galactic discs to become warped. Successful models should account for the frequent occurrence of warps in quite isolated galaxies, their amplitude as well as the observed azimuthal and vertical distributions of the H  i layer. Intergalactic accretion flows and intergalactic magnetic fields may bend the outer parts of spiral galaxies. In this paper we consider the viability of these non-gravitational torques to take the gas off the plane. We show that magnetically generated warps are clearly flawed because they would wrap up into a spiral in less than two or three galactic rotations. The inclusion of any magnetic diffusivity to dilute the wrapping effect causes the amplitude of the warp to damp. We also consider the observational consequences of the accretion of an intergalactic plane-parallel flow at infinity. We have computed the amplitude and warp asymmetry in the accretion model, for a disc embedded in a flattened dark matter halo, including self-consistently the contribution of the modes with azimuthal wavenumbers   m = 0  and   m = 1  . Since the m = 0 component, giving a U-shaped profile, is not negligible compared to the m = 1 component, this model predicts quite asymmetric warps, maximum gas displacements on the two sides in the ratio 3 : 2 for the preferred Galactic parameters, and the presence of a fraction ∼3.5 per cent of U-shaped warps, at least. The azimuthal dependence of the moment transfer by the ram pressure would produce a strong asymmetry in the thickness of the H  i layer and asymmetric density distributions in z , in conflict with observational data for the warp in our Galaxy and in external galaxies. The amount of accretion that is required to explain the Galactic warp would give gas scaleheights in the far outer disc that are too small. We conclude that accretion of a flow with no net angular momentum cannot be the main and only cause of warps.     

Magneto-induced Line Broadening of Magneto-sensitive Lines in Solar Magnetized Atmospheres

We analyze the spectral line broadening of those magneto-sensitive lines in solar magnetized atmospheres. The broadening at the line wings is due to the increase of the effective width of energy levels involved in Zeeman splitting, and the broadening at the line core also originated in Zeeman splitting under the condition that the Zeeman components are mixed. Therefore, the magnetoinduced or Zeeman broadening take effects on the whole line. The observed Stokes parameter data in a sunspot and outside it acquired by Solar Stokes Spectrum Telescope (S3T) are analyzed for the demonstration of this mechanism, and the Zeeman broadening rates are calculated for FeI6302.5 under some assumptions. Our result shows that the broadening is increased as the magnetic field strength becomes stronger, but the rate of increase at the line core is decreased as the field strength increases, while the rate at the wing does not show such an obvious regularity. The broadening is more effective in the line core than in the wings.     

Small-scale magnetic field diagnostics outside sunspots: Comparison of different methods

We analyse different observational data related to the problem of intrinsic magnetic field strength in small-scale fluxtubes outside sunspots. We conclude that the kG range of fluxtube fields follows from not only classical line ratio method, but also from other old and new techniques. For the quiet regions on the Sun, the most probable mode of such fields has a magnetic field strength of 1.2–1.5 kG assuming the rectangular field profile. To best interpret the observations, a weak background field between fluxtubes should be assumed, and its magnetic field strength is expected to increase with the filling factor of fluxtubes. The alternative point of view about subkilogauss fluxtube fields is critically examined, and possible sources of different conclusions are presented.     

Magnetic Field of a Neutron Star With Color Superconducting Quark Matter Core

The behaviour of the magnetic field of a neutron star with a superconducting quark matter core is investigated in the framework of the Ginzburg-Landau theory. We take into account the simultaneous coupling of the diquark condensate field to the usual magnetic and to the gluomagnetic gauge fields. We solve the Ginzburg-Landau equations by properly taking into account the boundary conditions, in particular, the gluon confinement condition. We found the distribution of the magnetic field in both the quark and hadronic phases of the neutron star and show that the magnetic field penetrates into the quark core in the form of quark vortices due to the presence of Meissner currents.     

Analysis of the effect of a mean velocity field on a mean field dynamo

We study semi-analytically and in a consistent manner the generation of a mean velocity field     by helical magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) turbulence, and the effect that this field can have on a mean field dynamo. Assuming a prescribed, maximally helical small-scale velocity field, we show that large-scale flows can be generated in MHD turbulent flows via small-scale Lorentz force. These flows back-react on the mean electromotive force of a mean field dynamo through new terms, leaving the original α and β terms explicitly unmodified. Cross-helicity plays the key role in interconnecting all the effects. In the minimal τ closure that we chose to work with, the effects are stronger for large relaxation times.     

The effect of magnetic fields on the formation of circumstellar discs around young stars

We present first results of our simulations of magnetic fields in the formation of single and binary stars using a recently developed method for incorporating Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) into the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. An overview of the method is presented before discussing the effect of magnetic fields on the formation of circumstellar discs around young stars. We find that the presence of magnetic fields during the disc formation process can lead to significantly smaller and less massive discs which are much less prone to gravitational instability. Similarly in the case of binary star formation we find that magnetic fields, overall, suppress fragmentation. However these effects are found to be largely driven by magnetic pressure. The relative importance of magnetic tension is dependent on the orientation of the field with respect to the rotation axis, but can, with the right orientation, lead to a dilution of the magnetic pressure-driven suppression of fragmentation.