Model of Nonlinear Evolution of Long-Wave Perturbations on an Ideally Conducting Jet with Current in a Longitudinal Magnetic Field. Collision of Magnetized Jets

Abstract

Within the framework of the magnetohydrodynamic approach, a system of equations is derived for nonlinear evolution of long-wave axisymmetric perturbations on a conducting fluid jet with surface electric current, located along the axis of a conducting solid cylinder in a longitudinal magnetic field. The fluid is assumed to be inviscid, incompressible, and ideally conducting, like the cylinder walls. It is shown that, if the longitudinal field is uniform and the axial flow is shear-free, this system can be either hyperbolic or elliptic-hyperbolic, depending on problem parameters. The boundaries of hyperbolicity and ellipticity regions in the space of solutions are determined. In the hyperbolicity region, equations of characteristics and conditions on them are obtained. The problem of the decay of velocity discontinuity on the jet is considered. Conditions are found for the existence of a continuous self-similar solution in the hyperbolicity region, corresponding to collision of jets.