The Ambipolar Filamentation in the Warm Ionized Medium

Franqueira, M.; Tagger, M.; Gómez de Castro, A. I.
Bibliographical reference

Astrophysics and Space Science, v. 292, Issue 1, p. 155-160 (2004).

Advertised on:
8
2004
Number of authors
3
IAC number of authors
0
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
We present the 2-D, two fluid (ions + neutrals) numerical simulations that we are carrying out in order to study the ambipolar filamentation process, in which a magnetized, partially ionized plasma is stirred by turbulence in the ambipolar frequency range. The higher turbulent velocity of the neutrals in the most ionized regions gives rise to a non-linear force driving them out of these regions, and causes the ions and the magnetic flux to condense in the most ionized regions, resulting in a filamentary structure where initial ionization inhomogeneities are amplified. This mechanism might help to explain some features observed in magnetized and partially ionized astrophysical plasmas as the interstellar medium.