530 research outputs found
Magnetic Reconnection Triggered by the Parker Instability in the Galaxy: Two-Dimensional Numerical Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations and Application to the Origin of X-Ray Gas in the Galactic Halo
We propose the Galactic flare model for the origin of the X-ray gas in the
Galactic halo. For this purpose, we examine the magnetic reconnection triggered
by Parker instability (magnetic buoyancy instability), by performing the
two-dimensional resistive numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulations. As a
result of numerical simulations, the system evolves as following phases: Parker
instability occurs in the Galactic disk. In the nonlinear phase of Parker
instability, the magnetic loop inflates from the Galactic disk into the
Galactic halo, and collides with the anti-parallel magnetic field, so that the
current sheets are created in the Galactic halo. The tearing instability
occurs, and creates the plasmoids (magnetic islands). Just after the plasmoid
ejection, further current-sheet thinning occurs in the sheet, and the anomalous
resistivity sets in. Petschek reconnection starts, and heats the gas quickly in
the Galactic halo. It also creates the slow and fast shock regions in the
Galactic halo. The magnetic field (G), for example, can heat the
gas ( cm) to temperature of K via the
reconnection in the Galactic halo. The gas is accelerated to Alfv\'en velocity
( km s). Such high velocity jets are the evidence of the
Galactic flare model we present in this paper, if the Doppler shift of the
bipolar jet is detected in the Galactic halo. Full size figures are available
at http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~tanuma/study/ApJ2002/ApJ2002.htmlComment: 13 pages, 12 figures, uses emulateapj.sty, accepted by Ap
Self-similar solution of fast magnetic reconnection: Semi-analytic study of inflow region
An evolutionary process of the fast magnetic reconnection in ``free space''
which is free from any influence of outer circumstance has been studied
semi-analytically, and a self-similarly expanding solution has been obtained.
The semi-analytic solution is consistent with the results of our numerical
simulations performed in our previous paper (see Nitta et al. 2001). This
semi-analytic study confirms the existence of self-similar growth. On the other
hand, the numerical study by time dependent computer simulation clarifies the
stability of the self-similar growth with respect to any MHD mode. These
results confirm the stable self-similar evolution of the fast magnetic
reconnection system.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure
Magnetic Reynolds number dependence of reconnection rate and flow structure of the self-similar evolution model of fast magnetic reconnection
This paper investigates Magnetic Reynolds number dependence of the
``self-similar evolution model'' (Nitta et al. 2001) of fast magnetic
reconnection. I focused my attention on the flow structure inside and around
the reconnection outflow, which is essential to determine the entire
reconnection system (Nitta et al. 2002). The outflow is consist of several
regions divided by discontinuities, e.g., shocks, and it can be treated by a
shock-tube approximation (Nitta 2004). By solving the junction conditions
(e.g., Rankine-Hugoniot condition), the structure of the reconnection outflow
is obtained. Magnetic reconnection in most astrophysical problems is
characterized by a huge dynamic range of its expansion ( for typical
solar flares) in a free space which is free from any influence of external
circumstances. Such evolution results in a spontaneous self-similar expansion
which is controlled by two intrinsic parameters: the plasma- and the
magnetic Reynolds number. The plasma- dependence had been investigated in
our previous paper. This paper newly clarifies the relation between the
reconnection rate and the inflow structure just outside the Petschek-like slow
shock: As the magnetic Reynolds number increases, strongly converging inflow
toward the Petschek-like slow shock forms, and it significantly reduces the
reconnection rate.Comment: 16 pages. to appear in ApJ (2006 Jan. 20 issue
MHD Simulations of Magnetic Reconnection in the Galaxy: the Origin of Diffuse X-ray Gas and High Energy Particles
Abstract Many X-ray and non-thermal emissions are observed in the Galaxy. It is, however, unknown what is the origin of hot(∼ 7 keV) diffuse X-ray gas such as Galactic ridge X-ray emission, including non-thermal component
Fast magnetic reconnection in free space: self-similar evolution process
We present a new model for time evolution of fast magnetic reconnection in
free space, which is characterized by self-similarity. Reconnection triggered
by locally enhanced resistivity assumed at the center of the current sheet can
self-similarly and unlimitedly evolve until external factors affect the
evolution. The possibility and stability of this type of evolution are verified
by numerical simulations in a very wide spatial dynamic range. Actual
astrophysical reconnection in solar flares and geomagnetospheric substorms can
be treated as an evolutionary process in free space, because the resultant
scale is much larger than the initial scale. In spite of this fact, most of the
previous numerical works focused on the evolutionary characters strongly
affected by artificial boundary conditions on the simulation boundary. Our new
model clarifies a realistic evolution for such cases. The characteristic
structure around the diffusion region is quite similar to the Petschek model
which is characterized by a pair of slow-mode shocks and the fast-mode
rarefaction-dominated inflow. However, in the outer region, a vortex-like
return flow driven by the fast-mode compression caused by the piston effect of
the plasmoid takes place. The entire reconnection system expands
self-similarly.Comment: 17 Pages, 17 Figure
Fractional ac Josephson effect in unconventional superconductors
For certain orientations of Josephson junctions between two p_x-wave or two
d-wave superconductors, the subgap Andreev bound states produce a 4pi-periodic
relation between the Josephson current I and the phase difference phi: I ~
sin(phi/2). Consequently, the ac Josephson current has the fractional frequency
eV/h, where V is the dc voltage. In the tunneling limit, the Josephson current
is proportional to the first power (not square) of the electron tunneling
amplitude. Thus, the Josephson current between unconventional superconductors
is carried by single electrons, rather than by Cooper pairs. The fractional ac
Josephson effect can be observed experimentally by measuring frequency spectrum
of microwave radiation from the junction.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, RevTEX 4; v2. - minor typos corrected in proof
A Hot Helium Plasma in the Galactic Center Region
Recent X-ray observations by the space mission Chandra confirmed the
astonishing evidence for a diffuse, hot, thermal plasma at a temperature of 9.
K (8 keV) found by previous surveys to extend over a few hundred parsecs
in the Galactic Centre region. This plasma coexists with the usual components
of the interstellar medium such as cold molecular clouds and a soft (~0.8 keV)
component produced by supernova remnants, and its origin remains uncertain.
First, simple calculations using a mean sound speed for a hydrogen-dominated
plasma have suggested that it should not be gravitationally bound, and thus
requires a huge energy source to heat it in less than the escape time. Second,
an astrophysical mechanism must be found to generate such a high temperature.
No known source has been identified to fulfill both requirements. Here we
address the energetics problem and show that the hot component could actually
be a gravitationally confined helium plasma. We illustrate the new prospects
this opens by discussing the origin of this gas, and by suggesting possible
heating mechanisms.Comment: 9 pages, accepted for publication in APJ
The effect of interchain interaction on the pairing symmetry competition in organic superconductors (TMTSF)X
We investigate the effect of interchain repulsive interaction on the pairing
symmetry competition in quasi-one-dimensional organic superconductors
(TMTSF)X by applying random phase approximation and quantum Monte Carlo
calculation to an extended Hubbard model. We find that interchain repulsive
interaction enhances the charge fluctuations, thereby making the
possibility of spin-triplet -wave pairing dominating over spin-singlet
d-wave pairing realistic.Comment: 4 page
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