Thermal instability with the effect of cosmic-ray diffusion

Abstract

We study dynamical effects of cosmics rays (CRs) on the thermal instability in the linear regime. CRs and the thermal plasma are treated as two different interacting fluids, in which CRs can diffuse along the magnetic field lines. We show that growth rate of the magnetothermal condensation mode is reduced because of the existence of CRs and this stabilizing effect depends on the diffusion coefficient and the ratio of the CRs pressure to gas pressure. Thus, a slower rate of structure formation via thermal instability is predicted when CRs are considered.