Mathematical Modeling of Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability at Tangential Discontinuities in Partially Ionized Plasma: Application to Heliopause Dynamics

TL;DR

This paper models how charge exchange collisions between protons and hydrogen atoms affect the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability at the heliopause, showing that such collisions can suppress instability growth.

Contribution

It introduces a two-dimensional gasdynamic model including hydrogen atoms to study the impact of charge exchange on plasma stability at the heliopause.

Findings

Charge exchange collisions suppress Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.

Lower Knudsen numbers lead to more stable, smoother plasma flows.

The model highlights the importance of neutral-ion interactions in heliopause dynamics.

Abstract

The stability of the heliopause, the tangential discontinuity separating the solar wind from the interstellar medium, is influenced by various processes, including the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. This study investigates the role of charge exchange collisions between protons and hydrogen (H) atoms in reduction of the Kelvin-Helmholtz growth rate at the heliopause. Using a two-dimensional gasdynamic model with the inclusion of H atoms, we perform numerical simulations of the plasma flow near the heliopause flanks. We conduct a parametric study by varying the Knudsen number. Our results indicate that charge exchange collisions play a crucial role in suppressing the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. As the Knudsen number decreases, the flow transitions from an unstable regime to a smoother state.