Nonlinear radiative condensation in a sheared magnetic field

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (29) References (11) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Nonlinear Radiative Condensation in a Sheared Magnetic Field van Hoven, G. ; Sparks, L. ; Schnack, D. D. Abstract The thermal instability, in which plasma cooling and condensation are driven by increasing radiation losses, is believed to underly a number of filamentation processes in astrophysics. This Letter describes a unique, well-resolved, two-dimensional, nonlinear, numerical simulation of the formation of a filament in a force-free field. The condensation is initiated by a linearly unstable mode and widens until it is slowed by parallel (to B) thermal conduction. During the nonlinear evolution, the minimum temperature falls from 106K to 104K and eventually reaches a state of local thermal equilibrium in about five e-folding times. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1987 DOI: 10.1086/184918 Bibcode: 1987ApJ...317L..91V Keywords: Condensation; Force-Free Magnetic Fields; Solar Magnetic Field; Solar Prominences; Magnetohydrodynamic Flow; Stellar Models; Thermal Instability; Solar Physics; HYDROMAGNETICS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; PLASMAS; RADIATION MECHANISMS; SUN: PROMINENCES full text sources ADS |