2D Relativistic MHD Simulations of the Kruskal-Schwarzschild Instability in a Relativistic Striped Wind

Abstract

We study the linear and non-linear development of the Kruskal-Schwarzchild Instability in a relativisitically expanding striped wind. This instability is the generalization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of a magnetic field. It has been suggested to produce a self-sustained acceleration mechanism in strongly magnetized outflows found in active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, and micro-quasars. The instability leads to magnetic reconnection, but in contrast with steady-state Sweet-Parker reconnection, the dissipation rate is not limited by the current layer's small aspect ratio. We performed two-dimensional (2D) relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations featuring two cold and highly magnetized ($1\le \sigma \le 10^3$) plasma layers with an anti-parallel magnetic field separated by a thin layer of relativistically hot plasma with a local effective gravity induced by the outflow's acceleration. Our simulations show how the heavier relativistically hot plasma in the reconnecting layer drips out and allows oppositely oriented magnetic field lines to reconnect. The instability's growth rate in the linear regime matches the predictions of linear stability analysis. We find turbulence rather than an ordered bulk flow near the reconnection region, with turbulent velocities up to $\sim 0.1$c, largely independent of model parameters. However, the magnetic energy dissipation rate is found to be much slower, corresponding to an effective ordered bulk velocity inflow into the reconnection region $v_{\mathrm{in}}={\beta }_{\mathrm{in}}c$, of $10^{-3}\lesssim {\beta }_{\mathrm{in}}\lesssim 5\times 10^{-3}$. This occurs due to the slow evacuation of hot plasma from the current layer, largely because of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability experienced by the dripping plasma. 3D RMHD simulations are needed to further investigate the non-linear regime.

12 pages, 12 figures, Accepted for Publication in MNRAS

References in corpus (9)

• Athena: A New Code for Astrophysical MHD
• The Physics of Gamma-Ray Bursts and Relativistic Jets
• The Internal-Collision-Induced Magnetic Reconnection and Turbulence (ICMART) Model of Gamma-Ray Bursts
• Magnetic acceleration of ultra-relativistic jets in gamma-ray burst sources
• Prompt GRB emission from gradual energy dissipation
• The role of kink instability in Poynting-flux dominated jets
• Gamma Ray Bursts as Electromagnetic Outflows
• Two-dimensional MHD simulations of relativistic magnetic reconnection
• Radiative striped wind model for gamma-ray bursts

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• Particle acceleration by relativistic magnetic reconnection driven by kink instability turbulence in Poynting flux dominated jets
• Fast magnetic reconnection structures in Poynting-flux dominated jets
• Temporal Evolution of Prompt GRB Polarization
• GRB Spectrum from Gradual Dissipation in a Magnetized Outflow
• Quantitative comparisons of VHE gamma-ray blazar flares with relativistic reconnection models
• Plasmas in Gamma-Ray Bursts: particle acceleration, magnetic fields, radiative Processes and environments
• Emission Mechanisms of Fast Radio Bursts