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The Role of Cosmic Rays and Alfvén Waves in the Structure of the Galactic Halo

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2016

M. K. Dougherty
Affiliation:
∗Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Postfach 103980, D-6900 Heidelberg 1, FRG
J. F. Mckenzie
Affiliation:
†Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie, Postfach 20, D-3411 Katlenburg-Lindau 3, FRG

Abstract

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The effect that cosmic rays and the Alfvén waves generated by them have on the structure of the plasma distribution perpendicular to the galactic disc in a hydrostatic model is examined. It is shown that the plasma distribution exhibits two length scales, essentially because the cosmic rays and Alfvén waves lift the gas up and stretch it out beyond the galactic plane. The predicted gas density far from the galactic plane indicates that models involving hydrostatic equilibrium should be replaced by those allowing for a galactic wind.

Type
4. Magnetohydrodynamics of Galactic Magnetic Fields
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1990 

References

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