Nonmonotonic magnetic bending 2026-10-05
For nonzero imposed surface inclination, magnetic bending in an incompressible disk is nonmonotonic when : the first maximum of occurs at , followed by a decrease. This is exactly the finite-thickness magnetorotational instability criterion for the same slab. The zero-inclination equilibrium can still be unstable, so nonmonotonic bending is a property of the forced profile, rather than a condition on every possible unstable equilibrium.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 321 3 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Write and , and assume and . In a steady state, the horizontally invariant magnetized shearing-sheet equations giveSince vanishes at both boundaries, for , and then throughout. The other two equations areEliminating gives the harmonic oscillator equationThe midplane-symmetric magnetic bending in an incompressible disk has odd and even . Applying givesFor nonzero imposed inclination , this equilibrium exists only when . More generally, ; the boundary conditions require and . Thus the displayed solution is unique away from these resonances. At , an additional even homogeneous solution is possible unless midplane symmetry is imposed. At , an arbitrary constant is also allowed because its coefficient in the azimuthal equation vanishes; choosing gives the same symmetric equilibrium.