Nonlinear break-up of magnetohydrodynamic jet

Abstract

A nonlinear analysis is presented to take into account the effect of a magnetic field on the capillary instability of a fluid jet, using the method of strained coordinates. The growth of the surface waves is calculated for wave number less than the critical wave number. A third-order solution shows that, as a result of the interaction among the lower harmonics, not only a higher harmonic appears; but there is also a feed back into the fundamental harmonic. It is important to note that the magnetic field has the effect of making the evolution curves of the disturbances symmetric about the axis as compared to the highly asymmetric pattern which prevails in its absence.