Three-dimensional Numerical Simulations of Magnetized Winds of Solar-Like Stars

TL;DR

This study uses 3D MHD simulations to explore how magnetic field strength and plasma-beta influence the structure, speed, and temperature of solar-like stellar winds, revealing key parameters that govern wind behavior.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of magnetized stellar winds using self-consistent 3D simulations, highlighting the role of plasma-beta and magnetic field intensity in wind dynamics and structure.

Findings

Higher magnetic fields produce faster, hotter winds.

Wind structure resembles solar coronal wind with helmet streamer topology.

The plasma-beta parameter at the coronal base determines wind velocity profiles.

Abstract

By means of self-consistent 3D MHD numerical simulations, we analyze magnetized solar-like stellar winds and their dependence on the plasma-beta parameter. We adopt in our simulations a heating parameter described by gamma, which is responsible for the thermal acceleration of the wind. We analyze winds with polar magnetic field intensities ranging from 1 to 20G. We show that the wind structure presents characteristics that are similar to the solar coronal wind. The steady-state magnetic field topology for all cases is similar, presenting a configuration of helmet streamer-type, with zones of closed field lines and open field lines coexisting. Higher magnetic field intensities lead to faster and hotter winds. The increase of the field intensity generates a larger dead zone in the wind, i. e., the closed loops that inhibit matter to escape from latitudes lower than ~45 degrees extend farther away from the star. The Lorentz force leads naturally to a latitude-dependent wind. We show that by increasing the density and maintaining B0=20G, the system recover back to slower and cooler winds. For a fixed gamma, we show that the key parameter in determining the wind velocity profile is the beta-parameter at the coronal base. Therefore, there is a group of magnetized flows that would present the same terminal velocity despite of its thermal and magnetic energy densities, as long as the plasma-beta parameter is the same. This degeneracy, however, can be removed if we compare other physical parameters of the wind, such as the mass-loss rate. We analyze the influence of gamma in our results and we show that it is also important in determining the wind structure. (Abridged)