Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet

C. K. Li; P. Tzeferacos; D. Lamb; G. Gregori; P. A. Norreys; M. J. Rosenberg; R. K. Follett; D. H. Froula; M. Koenig; F. H. Seguin; J. A. Frenje; H. G. Rinderknecht; H. Sio; A. B. Zylstra; R. D. Petrasso; P. A. Amendt; H. S. Park; B. A. Remington; D. D. Ryutov; S. C. Wilks; R. Betti; A. Frank; S. X. Hu; T. C. Sangster; P. Hartigan; R. P. Drake; C. C. Kuranz; S. V. Lebedev; N. C. Woolsey

doi:10.1038/ncomms13081

Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet

C. K. Li^*, P. Tzeferacos, D. Lamb, G. Gregori, P. A. Norreys, M. J. Rosenberg, R. K. Follett, D. H. Froula, M. Koenig, F. H. Seguin, J. A. Frenje, H. G. Rinderknecht, H. Sio, A. B. Zylstra, R. D. Petrasso, P. A. Amendt, H. S. Park, B. A. Remington, D. D. Ryutov, S. C. WilksR. Betti, A. Frank, S. X. Hu, T. C. Sangster, P. Hartigan, R. P. Drake, C. C. Kuranz, S. V. Lebedev, N. C. Woolsey

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The remarkable discovery by the Chandra X-ray observatory that the Crab nebula's jet periodically changes direction provides a challenge to our understanding of astrophysical jet dynamics. It has been suggested that this phenomenon may be the consequence of magnetic fields and magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, but experimental demonstration in a controlled laboratory environment has remained elusive. Here we report experiments that use high-power lasers to create a plasma jet that can be directly compared with the Crab jet through well-defined physical scaling laws. The jet generates its own embedded toroidal magnetic fields; as it moves, plasma instabilities result in multiple deflections of the propagation direction, mimicking the kink behaviour of the Crab jet. The experiment is modelled with three-dimensional numerical simulations that show exactly how the instability develops and results in changes of direction of the jet.

Original language	English
Article number	13081
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13081
Publication status	Published - 7 Oct 2016

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Li, C. K., Tzeferacos, P., Lamb, D., Gregori, G., Norreys, P. A., Rosenberg, M. J., Follett, R. K., Froula, D. H., Koenig, M., Seguin, F. H., Frenje, J. A., Rinderknecht, H. G., Sio, H., Zylstra, A. B., Petrasso, R. D., Amendt, P. A., Park, H. S., Remington, B. A., Ryutov, D. D., ... Woolsey, N. C. (2016). Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet. Nature Communications, 7, Article 13081. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13081

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title = "Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet",

abstract = "The remarkable discovery by the Chandra X-ray observatory that the Crab nebula's jet periodically changes direction provides a challenge to our understanding of astrophysical jet dynamics. It has been suggested that this phenomenon may be the consequence of magnetic fields and magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, but experimental demonstration in a controlled laboratory environment has remained elusive. Here we report experiments that use high-power lasers to create a plasma jet that can be directly compared with the Crab jet through well-defined physical scaling laws. The jet generates its own embedded toroidal magnetic fields; as it moves, plasma instabilities result in multiple deflections of the propagation direction, mimicking the kink behaviour of the Crab jet. The experiment is modelled with three-dimensional numerical simulations that show exactly how the instability develops and results in changes of direction of the jet.",

author = "Li, {C. K.} and P. Tzeferacos and D. Lamb and G. Gregori and Norreys, {P. A.} and Rosenberg, {M. J.} and Follett, {R. K.} and Froula, {D. H.} and M. Koenig and Seguin, {F. H.} and Frenje, {J. A.} and Rinderknecht, {H. G.} and H. Sio and Zylstra, {A. B.} and Petrasso, {R. D.} and Amendt, {P. A.} and Park, {H. S.} and Remington, {B. A.} and Ryutov, {D. D.} and Wilks, {S. C.} and R. Betti and A. Frank and Hu, {S. X.} and Sangster, {T. C.} and P. Hartigan and Drake, {R. P.} and Kuranz, {C. C.} and Lebedev, {S. V.} and Woolsey, {N. C.}",

note = "{\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2016",

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doi = "10.1038/ncomms13081",

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Li, CK, Tzeferacos, P, Lamb, D, Gregori, G, Norreys, PA, Rosenberg, MJ, Follett, RK, Froula, DH, Koenig, M, Seguin, FH, Frenje, JA, Rinderknecht, HG, Sio, H, Zylstra, AB, Petrasso, RD, Amendt, PA, Park, HS, Remington, BA, Ryutov, DD, Wilks, SC, Betti, R, Frank, A, Hu, SX, Sangster, TC, Hartigan, P, Drake, RP, Kuranz, CC, Lebedev, SV & Woolsey, NC 2016, 'Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet', Nature Communications, vol. 7, 13081. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13081

TY - JOUR

T1 - Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet

AU - Li, C. K.

AU - Tzeferacos, P.

AU - Lamb, D.

AU - Gregori, G.

AU - Norreys, P. A.

AU - Rosenberg, M. J.

AU - Follett, R. K.

AU - Froula, D. H.

AU - Koenig, M.

AU - Seguin, F. H.

AU - Frenje, J. A.

AU - Rinderknecht, H. G.

AU - Sio, H.

AU - Zylstra, A. B.

AU - Petrasso, R. D.

AU - Amendt, P. A.

AU - Park, H. S.

AU - Remington, B. A.

AU - Ryutov, D. D.

AU - Wilks, S. C.

AU - Betti, R.

AU - Frank, A.

AU - Hu, S. X.

AU - Sangster, T. C.

AU - Hartigan, P.

AU - Drake, R. P.

AU - Kuranz, C. C.

AU - Lebedev, S. V.

AU - Woolsey, N. C.

PY - 2016/10/7

Y1 - 2016/10/7

N2 - The remarkable discovery by the Chandra X-ray observatory that the Crab nebula's jet periodically changes direction provides a challenge to our understanding of astrophysical jet dynamics. It has been suggested that this phenomenon may be the consequence of magnetic fields and magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, but experimental demonstration in a controlled laboratory environment has remained elusive. Here we report experiments that use high-power lasers to create a plasma jet that can be directly compared with the Crab jet through well-defined physical scaling laws. The jet generates its own embedded toroidal magnetic fields; as it moves, plasma instabilities result in multiple deflections of the propagation direction, mimicking the kink behaviour of the Crab jet. The experiment is modelled with three-dimensional numerical simulations that show exactly how the instability develops and results in changes of direction of the jet.

AB - The remarkable discovery by the Chandra X-ray observatory that the Crab nebula's jet periodically changes direction provides a challenge to our understanding of astrophysical jet dynamics. It has been suggested that this phenomenon may be the consequence of magnetic fields and magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, but experimental demonstration in a controlled laboratory environment has remained elusive. Here we report experiments that use high-power lasers to create a plasma jet that can be directly compared with the Crab jet through well-defined physical scaling laws. The jet generates its own embedded toroidal magnetic fields; as it moves, plasma instabilities result in multiple deflections of the propagation direction, mimicking the kink behaviour of the Crab jet. The experiment is modelled with three-dimensional numerical simulations that show exactly how the instability develops and results in changes of direction of the jet.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84990246174&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms13081

DO - 10.1038/ncomms13081

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84990246174

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 13081

ER -

Scaled laboratory experiments explain the kink behaviour of the Crab Nebula jet

Abstract

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