Solar Jet on 2014 April 16 Modeled by Kelvin--Helmholtz Instability

TL;DR

This study models the Kelvin--Helmholtz Instability in a solar jet observed on April 16, 2014, using MHD theory to understand the conditions under which KHI occurs in different magnetic flux tube configurations.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed MHD model of solar jet KHI considering various magnetic field topologies and density contrasts, providing insights into instability conditions and observable signatures.

Findings

KHI can occur at accessible flow velocities in untwisted and single-twisted flux tubes.

Double-twisted flux tubes require specific density contrasts for KHI to develop.

KHI development times are 1--6.2 minutes, with phase velocities of 202--271 km/s.

Abstract

We study here the arising of Kelvin--Helmholtz Instability (KHI) in one fast jet of 2014 April 16 observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in different UV and EUV wavelengths. The evolution of jet indicates the blob like structure at its boundary which could be the observational evidence of the KHI. We model the jet as a moving cylindrical magnetic flux tube of radius $a$ embedded in a magnetic field B_i and surrounded by rest magnetized plasma with magnetic field B_e. We explore the propagation of the kink MHD mode along the jet that can become unstable against the KHI if its speed exceeds a critical value. Concerning magnetic fields topology we consider three different configurations, notably of (i) spatially homogeneous magnetic fields (untwisted magnetic flux tube), (ii) internal (label `i') twisted magnetic field and external homogeneous one (label `e') (single-twisted flux tube), and (iii) both internal and external twisted magnetic fields (double-twisted magnetic flux tube). Plasma densities in the two media rho_i and rho_e are assumed to be homogeneous. The density contrast is defined in two ways: first as rho_e/rho_i and second as rho_e/(rho_i + rho_e). Computations show that the KHI can occur at accessible flow velocities in all the cases of untwisted and single-twisted flux tubes. It turns out, however, that in the case of a double-twisted flux tube the KHI can merge at an accessible jet speed only when the density contrast is calculated from the ratio rho_e/(rho_i} + rho_e). Evaluated KHI developing times and kink mode wave phase velocities at wavelength of 4 Mm lie in the ranges of 1--6.2 min and 202--271 km/s, respectively---all being reasonable for the modeled jet.