Stability of the Toroidal Magnetic Field in Stellar Radiation Zones
Abstract
The stability of the magnetic field in radiation zones is of crucial importance for mixing, angular momentum transport, etc. We consider the stability properties of a star containing a predominant toroidal field in spherical geometry by means of a linear stability in the Boussinesq approximation taking into account the effect of thermal conductivity. We calculate the growth rate of instability and analyze in detail the effects of stable stratification and heat transport. We argue that the stabilizing influence of gravity can never entirely suppress the instability caused by electric currents in radiation zones. However, the stable stratification can essentially decrease the growth rate of instability
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/137
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1110.3340
- Bibcode:
- 2012ApJ...747..137B
- Keywords:
-
- instabilities;
- magnetohydrodynamics: MHD;
- stars: interiors;
- stars: magnetic field;
- Sun: interior;
- Sun: magnetic topology;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 12 pages, 3 figures