Sheared flow as a stabilizing mechanism in astrophysical jets

Here we present a linear analysis of sheared flow in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) jets. It has been hypothesized that the sustained narrowness observed in the asymptotic cylindrical region of bipolar outflows from Young Stellar Objects (YSO) indicates that these jets are magnetically collimated. The j × B force observed in z-pinch plasmas is a possible explanation for these observations. However, z-pinch plasmas are subject to current driven instabilities (CDI). The interest in using z-pinches for controlled nuclear fusion has lead to an extensive theory of the stability of magnetically confined plasmas. Analytical, numerical, and experimental evidence from this field suggest that sheared flow in magnetized plasmas can reduce the growth rates of the sausage and kink instabilities. Here we propose the hypothesis that sheared helical flow can exert a similar stabilizing influence on CDI in YSO jets.