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Vadim Urpin

Publications and source records attributed to Vadim Urpin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2017

The magnetorotational and Tayler instabilities in the pulsar magnetosphere

The magnetospheres around neutron stars should be very particular because of their strong magnetic field and rapid rotation. A study of the pulsar magnetospheres is of a crucial importance since it is the key issue to understand how energy inflow to the exterior is produced. In this paper, I discuss magnetohydrodynamic processes in the pulsar magnetosphere. I consider in detail the properties of magnetohydrodynamic waves that can exist in the magnetosphere and their instabilities.These instabilities lead to formation of magnetic structures and can be responsible for a short-term variability ofthe pulsar emission.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2016

Diffusion in plasma: the Hall effect, compositional waves, and chemical spots

We consider diffusion caused by a combined influence of the electric current and the Hall effect, and argue that such diffusion can form inhomogeneities of the chemical composition in plasma. The considered mechanism can be responsible for a formation of element spots in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. This current-driven diffusion can be accompanied by propagation of a particular type waves in which the impurity number density oscillate alone. These compositional waves exist if the magnetic pressure in plasma is much greater than the gas pressure,

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2016

Investigation of heavy ions diffusion under the influence of current-driven mechanism and compositional waves in plasma

We consider diffusion caused by a combined influence of the Hall effect and electric currents, and argue that such diffusion forms chemical inhomogeneities in plasma. The considered mechanism can be responsible for the formation of element spots in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Such current-driven diffusion can be accompanied by the propagation of a particular type of waves which have not been considered earlier. In these waves, the impurity number density oscillare alone and their frequency is determined by the electric currents and sort of impurity ions. These compositional waves exist if the magnetic pressure in plasma is much greater than the gas pressure. Such waves lead to local variations of chemical composition and, hence, can manifest themselves by variations of the emission in spectral lines.

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2016

Compositional waves and variations in the atmospheric abundances of magnetic stars

The stars of the middle main sequence often have relatively quiescent outer layers and spot-like chemical structures may develope in their atmospheres. Recent observations show that abundance peculiarities can change as stars evolve on the main sequence and the timescale of these changes lies in a wide range from million years to months. These observations imply that, perhaps, our understanding of diffusion processes at work in magnetic stars is incomplete and a more detailed analysis of these processes is required. In the present paper, we consider diffusion caused by a combined influence of the electric current and the Hall effect.Such diffusion has a number of very particular properties and, generally, can change the surface chemistry of stars in combination with other diffusion processes. For instance, current-driven diffusion is accompanied by a propagation of the special type of waves in which only the impurity number density oscillates. Propagation of such waves changes the shape and size of spots as well as chemical abundances within them. The period of compositional waves depends on the parameters of plasma (magnetic field, electric current, temperature, etc.) and can be different for the waves of different elements. Compositional waves exist in the regions where the magnetic pressure is greater than the gas pressure. These waves can be the reason of variations with different timescales in the abundance peculiarities of magnetic stars.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2016

Element spots in Ap- and HgMn-stars from current-driven diffusion

The stars of the middle main sequence often have spot-like chemical structures at their surfaces. We consider the diffusion process caused by electric currents that can lead to the formation of such chemical spots. Diffusion is considered using the partial momentum equations derived by the Chapman-Enskog method. We argue that diffusion caused by electric currents can substantially change the surface chemistry of stars and form spotted chemical structures even in a relatively weak magnetic field. The considered mechanism can be responsible for a formation of element spots in HgMn- and Ap-stars.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2015

The accretion rate and minimum spin period of accreting pulsars

We consider combined rotational, magnetic, and thermal evolution of the neutron star during the accretion phase in a binary system. A rapid accretion-driven decay of the magnetic field decreases substantially the efficiency of angular momentum transfer. As a result, the neutron star cannot spin up to periods shorter than some limiting value even if accretion is very long and accretion rate is high. The proposed mechanism can explain a discrepancy between the shortest detected period and minimal possible spin period of neutron stars.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2014

IGR J17480-2446: a new class of accreting binaries?

The recent discovery of long-period, low magnetic field pulsars in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) represents a challenge for the standard evolutionary scenario. These pulsars have a magnetic field strength comparable to that of millisecond pulsars ($\sim 10^8 - 10^9$ G), but their period is at least an order of magnitude longer. We discuss the origin of this new class of pulsars within the standard picture of LMXBs formation and apply our results to the case of IGR J17480-2446. The magnetothermal evolution of the binary system is studied numerically by taking into account the effect of different accretion rates during the Roche-lobe overflow in the framework of the minimal cooling scenario. We show that, in addition to standard millisecond pulsars, long-period low magnetic field pulsars should also be expected as a possible outcome of the binary evolution, depending on the strength of the accretion rate during the Roche-lobe overflow. In particular, we argue that IGR J17480-2446 belongs to this new class of objects.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2014

Formation of filament-like structures in the pulsar magnetosphere and the short-term variability of pulsar emission

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities can play an important role in the dynamics of the pulsar magnetosphere and can be responsible for the formation of various structures. We consider the instability caused by a gradient of the magnetic pressure which can occur in a non-neutral magnetospheric plasma. We arguethat the pulsar magnetospheres are always unstable. The unstable disturbances have a form of filaments directed along the magnetic field lines with plasma motions being almost parallel (or anti-parallel) to the magnetic field. The growth rate of instability is high and can reach a fraction of $ck$, where $k$ is the wavevector of unstable disturbances. The instability can be responsible for fluctuations of plasma and the short-term variability of pulsar emission.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2013

Rotational suppression of the Tayler instability in stellar radiation zones

The study of the magnetic field in stellar radiation zones is an important topic in modern astrophysics because the magnetic field can play an important role in several transport phenomena such as mixing and angular momentum transport. We consider the influence of rotation on stability of a predominantly toroidal magnetic field in the radiation zone. We find that the effect of rotation on the stability depends on the magnetic configuration of the basic state. If the toroidal field increases sufficiently rapidly with the spherical radius, the instability cannot be suppressed entirely even by a very fast rotation although the strength of the instability can be significantly reduced. On the other hand, if the field increases slowly enough with the radius or decreases, the instability has a threshold and can be completely suppressed in rapidly rotating stars. We find that in the regions where the instability is entirely suppressed a particular type of magnetohydrodynamic waves may exist which are marginally stable.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2013

Stability of the toroidal magnetic field in rotating stars

The magnetic field in stellar radiation zones can play an important role in phenomena such as mixing, angular momentum transport, etc. We study the effect of rotation on the stability of a predominantly toroidal magnetic field in the radiation zone. In particular we considered the stability in spherical geometry by means of a linear analysis in the Boussinesq approximation. It is found that the effect of rotation on the stability depends on a magnetic configuration. If the toroidal field increases with the spherical radius, the instability cannot be suppressed entirely even by a very fast rotation. Rotation can only decrease the growth rate of instability. If the field decreases with the radius, the instability has a threshold and can be completey suppressed.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2011

Resonance instability of axially-symmetric magnetostatic equilibria

We review the evidence for and against the possibility that a strong enough poloidal field stabilizes an axisymmetric magnetostatic field configuration. We show that there does exist a class of resonant MHD waves which produce instability for any value of the ratio of poloidal and toroidal field strength. We argue that recent investigations of the stability of mixed poloidal and toroidal field configurations based on 3-d numerical simulations, can miss this instability because of the very large azimuthal wave numbers involved and its resonant character.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2011

Stability of the toroidal magnetic field in stellar radiation zones

Understanding the stability of the magnetic field in radiation zones is of crucial importance for various processes in stellar interior like mixing, circulation and angular momentum transport. The stability properties of a star containing a prominent toroidal field in a radiation zone is investigated by means of a linear stability analysis in the Boussinesq approximation taking into account the effect of thermal conductivity. The growth rate of the instability is explicitly calculated and the effects of stable stratification and heat transport are discussed in detail. It is argued that the stabilizing influence of gravity can never entirely suppress the instability caused by electric currents in radiation zones although the stable stratification can significantly decrease the growth rate of instability

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2011

Pns dynamo: Theory and observations

We briefly review the turbulent mean-field dynamo action in protoneutron stars that are subject to convective and neutron finger instabilities during the early evolutionary phase. By solving the mean-field induction equation with the simplest model of $α$-quenching we estimate the strength of the generated magnetic field. If the initial period of the protoneutron star is short, then the generated large-scale field is very strong ($> 3 \times 10^{13}$G) and exceeds the small-scale field at the neutron star surface, while if the rotation is moderate, then the pulsars are formed with more or less standard dipole fields ($< 3 \times 10^{13}$G) but with surface small-scale magnetic fields stronger than the dipole field. If rotation is very slow, then the mean-field dynamo does not operate, and the neutron star has no global field.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2010

The magnetohydrodynamic instability of current-carrying jets

Magnetohydrodynamic instabilities can be responsible for the formation of structures with various scales in astrophysical jets. We consider the stability properties of jets containing both the azimuthal and axial field of subthermal strength. A magnetic field with complex topology in jets is suggested by theoretical models and is consistent with recent observations. Stability is discussed by means of a linear analysis of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations. We argue that in azimuthal and axial magnetic fields the jet is always unstable to non-axisymmetric perturbations. Stabilization does not occur even if the strengths of these field components are comparable. If the axial field is weaker than the azimuthal one, instability occurs for perturbations with any azimuthal wave number $m$, and the growth rate reaches a saturation value for low values of $m$. If the axial field is stronger than the toroidal one, the instability shows for perturbations with relatively high $m$.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2010

Thermomagnetic instability in hot discs

A linear stability analysis of ionized discs with a temperature gradient and an external axial magnetic field is presented. It is shown that both hydromagnetic and thermomagnetic effects can lead to the amplification of waves and make discs unstable. The conditions under which the instabilities grow are found and the characteristic growth rate is calculated. The regimes at which both the thermomagnetic and magnetorotational instabilities can operate are discussed.

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2008

Non-axisymmetric instability of axisymmetric magnetic fields

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.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2008

Current-driven instabilities in weakly ionized disks

Cool weakly ionized gaseous rotating disk form the basis for many models in astrophysics objects. Instabilities against perturbations in such disks play an important role in the theory of the formation of stars and planets. Traditionally, axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and recently Hall-MHD instabilities have been thoroughly studied as providers of an efficient mechanism for radial transfer of angular momentum, and of density radial stratification. In the current work, the Hall instability against axisymmetric perturbations in incompressible rotating fluid in external poloidal and toroidal magnetic field is considered.

astro-ph↗