Nonlinear modulation of dispersive fast magnetosonic waves in an inhomogeneous rotating solar low-β magnetoplasma

Abstract

Abstract We study the modulation of fast magnetosonic waves (MSWs) in rotating inhomogeneous low-β magnetoplasmas with the effects of gravitation and the Coriolis force. By employing the standard multiple-scale reductive perturbation technique (RPT), we derive a nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation that governs the evolution of slowly varying MSW envelopes. The fast MSW becomes dispersive by the effects of the Coriolis force in the fluid motion, and the magnetic field and density inhomogeneity effects favor the Jeans instability in self-gravitating plasmas in a larger domain of the wave number (k, below the Jeans critical wave number, k J ) than homogeneous plasmas. The relative influence of the Jeans frequency (ω J , associated with the gravitational force) and the angular frequency (Ω0, relating to the Coriolis force) on the Jeans carrier MSW mode and the modulational instability (MI) of the MSW envelope is studied. We show that the MSW envelope (corresponding to the unstable carrier Jeans mode with ω J > 2Ω0 and k < k J ) is always unstable against the plane wave perturbation with no cut-offs for growth rates. In contrast, the stable Jeans mode with ω J > 2Ω0 but k > k J manifests either modulational stability or MI having a finite growth rate before being cut off. We find an enhancement of the MI growth rate by the influence of magnetic field or density inhomogeneity. The case with constant gravity force (other than the self-gravity) perpendicular to the magnetic field is also briefly discussed to show that the fast magnetosonic carrier mode is always unstable, giving MI of slowly varying envelopes with no cut-offs for the growth rates. Possible applications of MI in solar plasmas, such as those in the x-ray corona, are also briefly discussed.