Self-similar evolution of magnetized plasmas. I - Quasi-static solution

The concept of linear expansion suggested by Wei-Hong (1989 and 1990), describes the self-similar evolution of a magnetic structure. Linear expansion can be represented by a single function which connects the evolving physical parameters of the plasma with their initial values in explicit forms. A general self-similar dynamic equation, therefore, is derived. As the first step toward more general consideration, the quasi-static solution is investigated in this paper. It is shown that a gamma = 4/3 polytrope may evolve through consecutive equilibria if its magnetic field expands self-similarly. The change of the energy everywhere inside the plasma equals the work done by the internal plasma pressure and magnetic field for the expansion. For the special case of an expanding force-free magnetic field, the self-similar expansion is a clean expansion. No free magnetic energy is left anywhere inside the magnetic structure. The approximation in quasi-state modeling of a pressure confined magnetized plasmoid is analyzed.