Relativistic Acceleration of Magnetically Driven Jets

We present an analytical model for describing highly relativistic acceleration of magnetically driven jets, within the framework of ideal MHD for cold, stationary and axisymmetric outflows. Our novel procedure is to treat the wind equation as an algebraic relation between the relativistic Alfvén Mach-number and the poloidal electric to toroidal magnetic field amplitudes ratio ξ. This allows us to obtain easily the wind solutions for trans-fast-magnetosonic flows, together with the required range of ξ. Then, to determine the spatial variation of ξ, we solve approximately the Grad-Shafranov equation applied to a jet flow ejected with a very large total specific energy E and confined within a very small opening angle. Our trans-fast-magnetosonic model provides a closed-form expression for the transition from a magnetically dominated flow to a kinetic-energy dominated one, which occurs in the sub-asymptotic region far beyond the light cylinder of the radius RL. Importantly, we find that the equipartition between magnetic and kinetic energies is realized at a cylindrical radius of order of RLE/c , and confirm that the further conversion of magnetic to kinetic energy proceeds logarithmically with distance in the asymptotic region. Finally, we discuss briefly the astrophysical implications of our model for jets originating from active galactic nuclei. Subject headings: MHD—relativity—galaxies: jets