Ricci curvature and geodesic flows stability in Riemannian twisted flux tubes

Abstract

Ricci and sectional curvatures of twisted flux tubes in Riemannian manifold are computed to investigate the stability of the tubes. The geodesic equations are used to show that in the case of thick tubes, the curvature of planar (Frenet torsion-free) tubes have the effect ct of damping the flow speed along the tube. Stability of geodesic flows in the Riemannian twisted thin tubes (almost filaments), against constant radial perturbations is investigated by using the method of negative sectional curvature for unstable flows. No special form of the flow like Beltrami flows is admitted, and the proof is general for the case of thin tubes. It is found that for positive perturbations and angular speed of the flow, instability is achieved, since the sectional Ricci curvature of the twisted tube metric is negative.