Interaction of Jets with Galactic Winds

Abstract

We have used the vectorised and parallelised magnetohydrodynamics code NIRVANA on the NEC SX-5 and the new SX-6 installation in parallel mode to simulate the interaction of jets with a galactic wind that might be typical for the star-bursting radio-galaxies of the early universe. The two simulations, one axisymmetric and one in 3D show that the jet pierces and destroys a thin and dense shell produced by the pre-installed superwind. We suggest that small radio galaxies at high redshift might be absorbed on the blue wing due to the galactic wind shell, and possibly on the red wing due to a cooling flow. In larger sources the jet cocoon will fill the wind cavity and accelerate the shell. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability will then disrupt the shell and disperse dense, possibly star-forming fragments throughout the region.