Abstract:
We study an exact model of radially self-similar
magnetohydrodynamic outflows appropriate to describe
collimated jets from astrophysical systems with
accretion disks spiraling around a central
gravitating object.
The mathematical problem is reduced to the integration
of a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations.
A physically accepted solution needs to cross several
critical surfaces whose knowledge is not known a
priori but depends on a number of physical parameters.
We search for the right combination of those parameters
which produces a superAlfvenic solution crossing the
modified fast critical surface, satisfying thus causality.
We use a numerical algorithm that tests pre-defined
combinations of the problem parameters, classifies the derived
solutions and tunes one parameter in each combination
so that this solution crosses the modified fast critical
surface.
The results are discussed in the context of the launching and
collimation properties of magnetohydrodynamic disk-winds
and jets associated with young stellar objects in star formation
regions.