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Force-Free Foliations

Mathematical Physics 2017-10-31 v2 High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Theory math.MP

Abstract

Electromagnetic field configurations with vanishing Lorentz force density are known as force-free and appear in terrestrial, space, and astrophysical plasmas. We explore a general method for finding such configurations based on formulating equations for the field lines rather than the field itself. The basic object becomes a foliation of spacetime or, in the stationary axisymmetric case, of the half-plane. We use this approach to find some new stationary and axisymmetric solutions, one of which could represent a rotating plasma vortex near a magnetic null point.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1606.06727,
  title  = {Force-Free Foliations},
  author = {Geoffrey Compère and Samuel E. Gralla and Alexandru Lupsasca},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1606.06727},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

26 pages, 1 figure. v2: minor edits, matches published version

R2 v1 2026-06-22T14:30:57.593Z