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Hubble Space Telescope scale 3D simulations of MHD disc winds: a rotating two-component jet structure.

Authors :
Staff, J. E.
Koning, N.
Ouyed, R.
Thompson, A.
Pudritz, R. E.
Source :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; Feb2015, Vol. 446 Issue 4, p3975-3991, 17p
Publication Year :
2015

Abstract

We present the results of large scale, three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations of disc winds for different initial magnetic field configurations. The jets are followed from the source to 90 au scale, which covers several pixels of Hubble Space Telescope images of nearby protostellar jets. Our simulations show that jets are heated along their length by many shocks. We compute the emission lines that are produced, and find excellent agreement with observations. The jet width is found to be between 20 and 30 au while the maximum velocities perpendicular to the jet are found to be up to above 100kms-1. The initially less open magnetic field configuration simulations result in a wider, two-component jet; a cylindrically shaped outer jet surrounding a narrow and much faster, inner jet. These simulations preserve the underlying Keplerian rotation profile of the inner jet to large distances from the source. However, for the initially most open magnetic field configuration the kink mode creates a narrow corkscrew-like jet without a clear Keplerian rotation profile and even regions where we observe rotation opposite to the disc (counter-rotating). The RW Aur jet is narrow, indicating that the disc field in that case is very open meaning the jet can contain a counter-rotating component that we suggest explains why observations of rotation in this jet have given confusing results. Thus magnetized disc winds from underlying Keplerian discs can develop rotation profiles far down the jet that is not Keplerian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00358711
Volume :
446
Issue :
4
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
110198769
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu2392