title: Dynamic and stagnating plasma flow leading to magnetic-flux-tube collimation.
abstract: Highly collimated, plasma-filled magnetic-flux tubes are frequently observed on galactic, stellar, and laboratory scales. We propose that a single, universal magnetohydrodynamic pumping process explains why such collimated, plasma-filled magnetic-flux tubes are ubiquitous. Experimental evidence from carefully diagnosed laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets confirms this assertion and is reported here. The magnetohydrodynamic process pumps plasma into a magnetic-flux tube and the stagnation of the resulting flow causes this flux tube to become collimated.
authors.affiliation: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91125, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bellan