On the Linear Stability of Magnetized Jets Without Current Sheets: Non-Relativistic Case

TL;DR

This study investigates the stability of non-relativistic, current-sheet-free magnetized jets, demonstrating that such magnetic configurations significantly enhance jet stability by suppressing fundamental instability modes.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical analysis of non-relativistic MHD jet stability without current sheets, showing improved stability over previous models with current sheets.

Findings

Suppression of fundamental pinch and kink modes across long wavelengths.

Increased magnetization leads to greater stability of reflection modes.

Magnetic field configuration without current sheets enhances overall jet stability.

Abstract

In this paper we consider stability of magnetized jets that carry no net electric current and do not have current sheets (Gourgouliatos et al. 2012). The non-relativistic MHD equations are linearized around the background velocity and the magnetic field structure of the jet. The resulting linear equations are solved numerically inside the jet. We find that introduction of current-sheet-free magnetic field significantly improves jet stability relative to unmagnetized jets or magnetized jets with current sheets at their surface. This particularly applies to the fundamental pinch and kink modes - they become completely suppressed in a wide range of long wavelengths that are known to become most pernicious to jet stability when the evolution enters the non-linear regime. The reflection modes, both for the pinch and kink instability, also become progressively more stable with increased magnetization.