Microscopic Processes in Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields

Abstract

In the study of relativistic jets one of the key open questions is their interaction with the environment on the microscopic level. Here, we study the initial evolution of both electron$-$proton ($e^{-}-p^{+}$) and electron$-$positron ($e^{\pm }$) relativistic jets containing helical magnetic fields, focusing on their interaction with an ambient plasma. We have performed simulations of "global" jets containing helical magnetic fields in order to examine how helical magnetic fields affect kinetic instabilities such as the Weibel instability, the kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (kKHI) and the Mushroom instability (MI). In our initial simulation study these kinetic instabilities are suppressed and new types of instabilities can grow. In the $e^{-}-p^{+}$ jet simulation a recollimation-like instability occurs and jet electrons are strongly perturbed. In the $e^{\pm }$ jet simulation a recollimation-like instability occurs at early times followed by a kinetic instability and the general structure is similar to a simulation without helical magnetic field. Simulations using much larger systems are required in order to thoroughly follow the evolution of global jets containing helical magnetic fields.

9 pages, 6 figures, Blazars through Sharp Multi-Wavelength Eyes. Malaga (Spain). 30 May - 3 June 2016, movie is available at http://www.mpdi.com/link, Video S1

References in corpus (5)

• Production of Magnetic Turbulence by Cosmic Rays Drifting Upstream of Supernova Remnant Shocks
• Polarization Swings Reveal Magnetic Energy Dissipation in Blazars
• Electron-scale shear instabilities: magnetic field generation and particle acceleration in astrophysical jets
• Magnetic Field Generation in Core-Sheath Jets via the Kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability
• Signatures of Secondary Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Driven by Kink Instability of a Flux Rope

Cited by in corpus (1)

• From electrons to Janskys: Full stokes polarized radiative transfer in 3D relativistic particle-in-cell jet simulations