Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Institute for Advanced Study Astrophysics Seminar
Topic: Kink Instabilities, Turbulence and Particle Acceleration in Astrophysical Jets
Speaker: Hui Li
Affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: April 16, 2026 11:00am
Bloomberg Lecture Hall
Astrophysical jets driven by black holes are thought to undergo kink instabilities due to the large current carried by such jets. Dissipation of magnetic energy through kink instabilities has been suggested to account for the high-energy radiation (often in flaring fashion) up to many TeVs. In recent years, galactic microquasars (such as SS 433) have generated a lot of interests, given its high-energy gamma-ray radiation (up to 100s TeV, potentially to PeV) from their jets/lobes. Furthermore, in the case of SS433, polarized X-ray emissions with spatially (quasi-)resolved polarization angle and degree were reported by IXPE. The high degree of polarization implies large-scale (~ several parsecs) coherent magnetic fields. In this talk, we will present 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) studies of kink instabilities in jets and how they produce the polarization properties of jets. The properties of kink-driven turbulence will be described and compare with the properties of Alfvenic turbulence. Particle acceleration in kink-driven turbulence will be presented as well. We will end with discussing possible implications for astrophysical jets and lobes.
Institute for Advanced Study Astrophysics Seminar
Topic: Kink Instabilities, Turbulence and Particle Acceleration in Astrophysical Jets
Speaker: Hui Li
Affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: April 16, 2026 11:00am
Bloomberg Lecture Hall
Astrophysical jets driven by black holes are thought to undergo kink instabilities due to the large current carried by such jets. Dissipation of magnetic energy through kink instabilities has been suggested to account for the high-energy radiation (often in flaring fashion) up to many TeVs. In recent years, galactic microquasars (such as SS 433) have generated a lot of interests, given its high-energy gamma-ray radiation (up to 100s TeV, potentially to PeV) from their jets/lobes. Furthermore, in the case of SS433, polarized X-ray emissions with spatially (quasi-)resolved polarization angle and degree were reported by IXPE. The high degree of polarization implies large-scale (~ several parsecs) coherent magnetic fields. In this talk, we will present 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) studies of kink instabilities in jets and how they produce the polarization properties of jets. The properties of kink-driven turbulence will be described and compare with the properties of Alfvenic turbulence. Particle acceleration in kink-driven turbulence will be presented as well. We will end with discussing possible implications for astrophysical jets and lobes.
