Issue |
A&A
Volume 519, September 2010
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | A41 | |
Number of page(s) | 10 | |
Section | Extragalactic astronomy | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/200913012 | |
Published online | 09 September 2010 |
Stability of three-dimensional relativistic jets: implications for jet collimation
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
2
Departament d'Astronomia i Astrofísica. Universitat de València. C/ Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot (València), Spain e-mail: manel.perucho@uv.es
3
Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, C/ Jordi Girona, 29, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
4
Toruń Centre for Astronomy, Nicholas Copernicus University, ul. Gagarina 11, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Received:
29
July
2009
Accepted:
20
April
2010
Context. The stable propagation of jets in FRII sources is remarkable if one takes into account that large-scale jets are subjected to potentially highly disruptive three-dimensional (3D) Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities.
Aims. Numerical simulations can address this problem and help clarify the causes of this remarkable stability. Following previous studies of the stability of relativistic flows in two dimensions (2D), it is our aim to test and extend the conclusions of such works to three dimensions.
Methods. We present numerical simulations for the study of the stability properties of 3D, sheared, relativistic flows. This work uses a fully parallelized code (Ratpenat) that solves equations of relativistic hydrodynamics in 3D.
Results. The results of the present simulations confirm those in 2D. We conclude that the growth of resonant modes in sheared relativistic flows could be important in explaining the long-term collimation of extragalactic jets.
Key words: galaxies: jets / hydrodynamics / instabilities / relativistic processes
© ESO, 2010
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.