A magnetic flux tube is a cylindrical region inside which there exists an axial magnetic field that is much larger than the field outside. Magnetic flux tubes exist in nature, for example, in the sun’s photosphere. We show here that magnetic flux tubes can exist as self‐excited dynamos within conducting fluids, in regions where the fluid velocity has a negative radial velocity, in cylindrical coordinates. We find expressions for the local current density, the magnetic force density, the gas pressure, the ohmic power dissipation, the stored magnetic energy, the inductance, and the inherent time constant. A flux rope is a flux tube, plus an axial current and its azimuthal magnetic field. The axial current cannot be generated locally, but it could be injected at one end; that will be the object of another paper.
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September 1993
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September 01 1993
Local currents in magnetic flux tubes and flux ropes Available to Purchase
Paul Lorrain;
Paul Lorrain
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, 3450 rue Université, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3A 2A7a)
Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris
Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
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Nikos Salingaros
Nikos Salingaros
Department of Mathematics, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275‐01256
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Paul Lorrain
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, 3450 rue Université, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3A 2A7a)
Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris
Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
Nikos Salingaros
Department of Mathematics, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275‐01256
Am. J. Phys. 61, 811–817 (1993)
Article history
Received:
July 09 1992
Accepted:
January 14 1993
Citation
Paul Lorrain, Nikos Salingaros; Local currents in magnetic flux tubes and flux ropes. Am. J. Phys. 1 September 1993; 61 (9): 811–817. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17445
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