The MHD instabilities can generate complex field topologies even if the initial field configuration is a very simple one. We consider the stability properties of magnetic configurations containing a toroidal and an axial field. In this paper, we concentrate mainly on the behavior of non-axisymmetric perturbations in axisymmetric magnetic configurations. The stability is treated by a linear analysis of ideal MHD equations.In the presence of an axial field, it is shown that the instability can occur for a wide range of the azimuthal wavenumber $m$, and its growth rate increases with increasing $m$. At given $m$, the growth rate is at its maximum for perturbations with the axial wave-vector that makes the Alfvén frequency approximately vanishing. We argue that the instability of magnetic configurations in the ideal MHD can typically be dominated by perturbations with very short azimuthal and axial wavelengths.
We consider the flow of an electrically conducting fluid between differentially rotating cylinders, in the presence of an externally imposed toroidal field B_0 (r_i/r) e_phi. It is known that the classical, axisymmetric magnetorotational instability does not exist for such a purely toroidal imposed field. We show here that a non-axisymmetric magnetorotational instability does exist, having properties very similar to the axisymmetric magnetorotational instability in the presence of an axial field.
Purely gravitational perturbations are considered in a thin rotating disk composed of several gas and stellar components. The dispersion relation for the axisymmetric density waves propagating through the disk is found and the criterion for the local axisymmetric stability of the whole system is formulated. In the appropriate limit of two-component gas we confirm the findings of Jog & Solomon (1984) and extend consideration to the case when one component is collisionless. Gravitational stability of the Galactic disk in the Solar neighborhood based on the multicomponent instability condition is…
We examine global incompressible axisymmetric perturbations of a differentially rotating MHD plasma with radial density gradients. It is shown that the standard magnetorotational instability, (MRI) criterion drawn from the local dispersion relation is often misleading. If the equilibrium magnetic field is either purely axial or purely toroidal, the problem reduces to finding the global radial eigenvalues of an effective potential. The standard Keplerian profile including the origin is mathematically ill-posed, and thus any solution will depend strongly on the inner boundary. We find a class of…
Nonlinear numerical simulations are performed to investigate the density evolution in the dust layer of a protoplanetary disk due to the gravitational instability and dust settling toward the midplane. We assume the region where the radial pressure gradient at equilibrium is negligible so that the shear-induced instability is avoided, and also restrict to an axisymmetric perturbation as a first step of nonlinear numerical simulations of the gravitational instability. We find that there are two different evolutional paths of the gravitational instability depending on the nondimensional gas fric…
The instability of non-homoentropic axisymmetric flow of perfect fluid with respect to non-axisymmetric infinitesimal perturbations was investigated by numerical integration of hydrodynamical differential equations in two-dimensional approximation. The non-trivial influence of entropy gradient on unstable sound and surface gravity waves was revealed. In particular, both decrease and growth of entropy against the direction of effective gravitational acceleration $g_{eff}$ give rise to growing surface gravity modes which are stable with the same parameters in the case of homoentropic flow. At th…
We use a multi-dimensional hydrodynamics code to study the gravitational interaction between an embedded planet and a protoplanetary disk with emphasis on the generation of vortensity (potential vorticity) through a Baroclinic Instability and subsequent development of Rossby-Wave-Instability (RWI). It is found that the generation of potential vorticity is very common and effective in non-barotropic disks through the Baroclinic Instability, especially within the coorbital region. Our results also complement previous studies by \citet{KLL03} that non-axisymmetric RWIs are likely to develop at lo…
The linear stability of a shocked isothermal accretion flow onto a black hole is investigated in the inviscid limit. The outer shock solution, which was previously found to be stable with respect to axisymmetric perturbations, is, however, generally unstable to non-axisymmetric ones. Eigenmodes and growth rates are obtained by numerical integration of the linearized equations. The mechanism of this instability is based on the cycle of acoustic waves between their corotation radius and the shock. It is a form of the Papaloizou-Pringle instability, modified by advection and the presence of the s…
It has been suggested that quasi-periodic oscillations of accreting X-ray sources may relate to the modes named in the title. We consider non-axisymmetric linear perturbations to an isentropic, isothermal, unmagnetized thin accretion disk. The radial wave equation, in which the number of vertical nodes (n) appears as a separation constant, admits a wave-action current that is conserved except, in some cases, at corotation. Waves without vertical nodes amplify when reflected by a barrier near corotation. Their action is conserved. As was previously known, this amplification allows the n=0 modes…
In a recent publication, we have demonstrated that differentially rotating stars admit new channels of black hole formation via fragmentation instabilities. Since a higher order instability of this kind could potentially transform a differentially rotating supermassive star into a multiple black hole system embedded in a massive accretion disk, we investigate the dependence of the instability on parameters of the equilibrium model. We find that many of the models constructed exhibit non-axisymmetric instabilities with corotation points, even for low values of T/|W|, which lead to a fission of …
The spectral stability of liquid metal differentially rotating in transverse magnetic field is studied numerically by solving the eigenvalue problem with rigid-wall boundary conditions. The equilibrium velocity profile used in calculations corresponds to the electrically driven flow in circular channel with the rotation law Ω(r)~1/r^2. This type of flow profile is planned to be used in new experimental device to test the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in laboratory. Our analysis includes calculations of the eigen-frequency spectra for both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric modes. It is fo…
We analyze previous results on the stability of uniformly and differentially rotating, self-gravitating, gaseous and stellar, axisymmetric systems to derive a new stability criterion for the appearance of toroidal, m=2 Intermediate (I) and bar modes. In the process, we demonstrate that the bar modes in stellar systems and the m=2 I-modes in gaseous systems have many common physical characteristics and only one substantial difference: because of the anisotropy of the stress tensor, dynamical instability sets in at lower rotation in stellar systems. This difference is reflected also in the new s…
The effect of the Hall term on the evolution of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in weakly ionized accretion disks is investigated using local axisymmetric simulations. First, we show that the Hall term has important effects on the MRI when the temperature and density in the disk is below a few thousand K and between 10^13 and 10^18 cm^{-3} respectively. Such conditions can occur in the quiescent phase of dwarf nova disks, or in the inner part (inside 10 - 100 AU) of protoplanetary disks. When the Hall term is important, the properties of the MRI are dependent on the direction of the ma…
We perform numerical simulations of magneto-rotational instability in a local patch of accretion disk in which radiation pressure exceeds gas pressure. Such conditions may occur in the central regions of disks surrounding compact objects in active galactic nuclei and Galactic X-ray sources. We assume axisymmetry, and neglect vertical stratification. The growth rates of the instability on initially uniform magnetic fields are consistent with the linear analysis of Blaes & Socrates 2001. As is the case when radiation effects are neglected, the non-linear development of the instability leads to t…
Increasing observations are becoming available about a relatively weak, but persistent, non-axisymmetric magnetic field co-existing with the dominant axisymmetric field on the Sun. It indicates that the non-axisymmetric magnetic field plays an important role in the origin of solar activity. A linear non-axisymmetric alpha2-Omega dynamo model is set up to discuss the characteristics of the axisymmetric m=0 and the first non-axisymmetric m=1 modes and to provide further the theoretical bases to explain the active longitude, flip-flop and other non-axisymmetric phenomena. The model consists of a …
We carry out numerical and mathematical investigations of shear Alfven waves inside of a spherical shell filled with an incompressible conducting fluid, and bathed in a strong dipolar magnetic field. We focus on axisymmetric toroidal and non-axisymmetric modes, in continuation of a previous work by Rincon & Rieutord (2003, A&A, 398, 663). Analytical expressions are obtained for toroidal eigenmodes and their corresponding frequencies at low diffusivities. These oscillations behave like magnetic shear layers, in which the magnetic poles play a key role, and hence become singular when diffusiviti…
Axisymmetric magnetorotational instability (MRI) in viscous accretion disks is investigated by linear analysis and two-dimensional nonlinear simulations. The linear growth of the viscous MRI is characterized by the Reynolds number defined as $R_{\rm MRI} \equiv v_A^2/νΩ$, where $v_A$ is the Alfv{é}n velocity, $ν$ is the kinematic viscosity, and $Ω$ is the angular velocity of the disk. Although the linear growth rate is suppressed considerably as the Reynolds number decreases, the nonlinear behavior is found to be almost independent of $R_{\rm MRI}$. At the nonlinear evolutionary stage, a two-c…
In earlier work we identified a global, non-axisymmetric instability associated with the presence of an extreme in the radial profile of the key function ${\cal L}(r) \equiv (ΣΩ/κ^2) S^{2/Γ}$ in a thin, inviscid, nonmagnetized accretion disk. Here, $Σ(r)$ is the surface mass density of the disk, $Ω(r)$ the angular rotation rate, $S(r)$ the specific entropy, $Γ$ the adiabatic index, and $κ(r)$ the radial epicyclic frequency. The dispersion relation of the instability was shown to be similar to that of Rossby waves in planetary atmospheres. In this paper, we present the detailed linear theory of…
We have studied non-axisymmetric standing accretion shock instability, or SASI, by 3D hydrodynamical simulations. This is an extention of our previous study on axisymmetric SASI. We have prepared a spherically symmetric and steady accretion flow through a standing shock wave onto a proto-neutron star, taking into account a realistic equation of state and neutrino heating and cooling. This unperturbed model is supposed to represent approximately the typical post-bounce phase of core-collapse supernovae. We then have added a small perturbation (~1%) to the radial velocity and computed the ensuin…
We consider the stability of warping modes in Keplerian discs. We find them to be parametrically unstable using two lines of attack, one based on three-mode couplings and the other on Floquet theory. We confirm the existence of the instability, and investigate its nonlinear development in three dimensions, via numerical experiment. The most rapidly growing non-axisymmetric disturbances are the most nearly axisymmetric (low m) ones. Finally, we offer a simple, somewhat speculative model for the interaction of the parametric instability with the warp. We apply this model to the masing disc in NG…
In previous work stable approximately axisymmetric equilibrium configurations for magnetic stars were found by numerical simulation. Here I investigate the conditions under which more complex, non-axisymmetric configurations can form. I present numerical simulations of the formation of stable equilibria from turbulent initial conditions and demonstrate the existence of non-axisymmetric equilibria consisting of twisted flux tubes lying horizontally below the surface of the star, meandering around the star in random patterns. Whether such a non-axisymmetric equilibrium or a simple axisymmetric e…
We find exact and explicit solutions of the axisymmetric MHD equations of a self-gravitating polytropic gas. These solutions are able to describe a flat (uniform density) subsonic internal core, contracting homologously, of a collapsing cloud with aspherical pressure, aspherical gravitationnal potential, magnetic field and rotation. Two of the solutions describing the collapse of a rotating and magnetized cloud present outflow at the pole or at the equator.
Observations show that solar activity is distributed non-axisymmetrically, concentrating at "preferred longitudes". This indicates the important role of non-axisymmetric magnetic fields in the origin of solar activity. We investigate the generation of the non-axisymmetric fields and their coupling with axisymmetric solar magnetic field. Our kinematic generation (dynamo) model operating in a sphere includes solar differential rotation, which approximates the differential rotation obtained by inversion of helioseismic data, modelled distributions of the turbulent resistivity, non-axisymmetric me…
Neutrino radiation takes a major role in the momentum, heat, and lepton transports in proto-neutron stars (PNSs). These diffusive processes affect the growth of magnetorotational instability (MRI) in PNSs. We perform a local linear analysis for the axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric MRI including the effects of neutrino transports and ohmic dissipation. We find that the MRI can grow even in the multi-diffusive situations that are realized in neutrino loaded PNSs. When the toroidal magnetic component dominates over the poloidal one, nonaxisymmetric MRI modes grow much faster than axisymmetric mod…
The generation of solar non-axisymmetric magnetic fields is studied based on a linear alpha2-Omega dynamo model in a rotating spherical frame. The model consists of a solar-like differential rotation, a magnetic diffusivity varied with depth, and three types of alpha-effects with different locations, i.e. the tachocline, the whole convective zone and the sub-surface. Some comparisons of the critical alpha-values of axisymmetric m=0 and longitude-dependent modes m=1,2,3 are presented to show the roles of the magnetic diffusivity in the problem of modes selection. With the changing of diffusivit…
The magnetorotational instability (MRI) of differential rotation under the simultaneous presence of axial and azimuthal components of the (current-free) magnetic field is considered. For rotation with uniform specific angular momentum the MHD equations for axisymmetric perturbations are solved in a local short-wave approximation. All the solutions are overstable for B_z \cdot B_ϕ\neq 0 with eigenfrequencies approaching the viscous frequency. For more flat rotation laws the results of the local approximation do not comply with the results of a global calculation of the MHD instability of Taylor…
Understanding how cool stars produce magnetic fields within their interiors is crucial for predicting the impact of such fields, such as the activity cycle of the Sun. In this respect, studying fully convective stars enables us to investigate the role of convective zones in magnetic field generation. We produced a magnetic map of a rapidly rotating, very-low-mass, fully convective dwarf through tomographic imaging from time series of spectropolarimetric data. Our results, which demonstrate that fully convective stars are able to trigger axisymmetric large-scale poloidal fields without differen…
I propose a mechanism for axisymmetrical mass loss on the asymptotic giant branch, that may account for the axially symmetric structure of elliptical planetary nebulae. The proposed model operates for slowly rotating AGB stars, having angular velocities of 0.0001 the Keplerian velocity. Such angular velocities could be gained from a planet companion of mass 0.1M(Jupiter), or even from single stars which are fast rotators on the main sequence. The model assumes that dynamo magnetic activity results in the formation of cool spots, above which dust forms much easily. The enhanced magnetic activit…
We study the stability of standing shock waves in advection-dominated accretion flows into a Schwarzschild black hole by 2D general relativistic hydrodynamic simulations as well as linear analysis in the equatorial plane. We demonstrate that the accretion shock is stable against axisymmetric perturbations but becomes unstable to non-axisymmetric perturbations. The results of dynamical simulations show good agreement with linear analysis on the stability, oscillation and growing time scales. The comparison of different wave-travel times with the growth time scales of the instability suggests th…
We investigate shear and buoyancy instabilities in radially stratified, magnetized, cylindrical flows, for application to magnetocentrifugally driven winds and to magnetized accretion disks. We identify and study nine principal types of instabilities/overstabilities. When magnetic fields are predominantly toroidal, as in protostellar winds, the system exhibits axisymmetric fundamental (FM) and toroidal resonance modes, axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric toroidal buoyancy (TB) modes, and non-axisymmetric magnetorotational instability (MRI) modes. Winds with sufficiently steep field gradients are…
The linear stability of MHD Taylor-Couette flow of infinite vertical extension is considered for various magnetic Prandtl numbers Pm. The calculations are performed for a wide gap container with \hatη=0.5 with an axial uniform magnetic field excluding counterrotating cylinders. For both hydrodynamically stable and unstable flows the magnetorotational instability produces characteristic minima of the Reynolds number for certain (low) magnetic field amplitudes and Pm> 0.01. For Pm <~ 1 there is a characteristic magnetic field amplitude beyond which the instability sets in in form of nonaxisymmet…
We investigate the linear stability of a shocked accretion flow onto a black hole in the adiabatic limit. Our linear analyses and numerical calculations show that, despite the post-shock deceleration, the shock is generally unstable to non-axisymmetric perturbations. The simulation results of Molteni, Tóth & Kuznetsov can be well explained by our linear eigenmodes. The mechanism of this instability is confirmed to be based on the cycle of acoustic waves between the corotation radius and the shock. We obtain an analytical formula to calculate the oscillation period from the physical parameters …
We calculate axisymmetric oscillations of rotating neutron stars composed of the surface fluid ocean, solid crust, and fluid core, taking account of a dipole magnetic field as strong as $B_S\sim 10^{15}$G at the surface. The adiabatic oscillation equations for the solid crust threaded by a dipole magnetic field are derived in Newtonian dynamics, on the assumption that the axis of rotation is aligned with the magnetic axis so that perturbations on the equilibrium can be represented by series expansions in terms of spherical harmonic functions $Y_l^m(θ,ϕ)$ with different degrees $l$ for a given …
The linear marginal instability of an axisymmetric MHD Taylor-Couette flow of infinite vertical extension is considered. The dependence of the flow stability on magnetic Prandtl number, Pm, and gap-width between rotating cylinders is investigated. There is an unstability for flows with resting outer cylinder even without a magnetic field. Nevertheless, there are solutions with smaller critical Reynolds numbers for certain (weak) magnetic fields. These solutions, however, exist for not too small Pm or large enough gap. For hydrodynamically stable flow, we found that a magnetic field amplitude a…
We model a massless viscous disk using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and note that it evolves according to the Lynden-Bell \& Pringle theory (1974) until a non-axisymmetric instability develops at the inner edge of the disk. This instability may have the same origin as the instability of initially axisymmetric viscous disks discussed by Lyubarskij et al. (1994). To clarify the evolution we evolved single and double rings of particles. It is actually inconsistent with the SPH scheme to set up a single ring as an initial condition because SPH assumes a smoothed initial state. As would be…
We present new results on dynamical instabilities in rapidly rotating neutron-stars. In particular, using numerical simulations in full General Relativity, we analyse the effects that the stellar compactness has on the threshold for the onset of the dynamical bar-mode instability, as well as on the appearance of other dynamical instabilities. By using an extrapolation technique developed and tested in our previous study [1], we explicitly determine the threshold for a wide range of compactnesses using four sequences of models of constant baryonic mass comprising a total of 59 stellar models. O…
We study the stability of neutron stars with toroidal magnetic fields by magnetohydrodynamic simulation in full general relativity under assumption of axial symmetry. Nonrotating and rigidly rotating neutron stars are prepared for a variety of magnetic field configuration. For modeling the neutron stars, the polytropic equation of state with the adiabatic index $Γ=2$ is used for simplicity. It is found that nonrotating neutron stars are dynamically unstable for the case that toroidal magnetic field strength varies $\propto \varpi^{2k-1}$ with $k\geq 2$ (here $\varpi$ is the cylindrical radius)…
