2019ApJ...884..101R

The effects of inhomogeneous magnetic fields on the propagation of magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) laminar flame fronts are investigated. This investigation is motivated by the occurrence of magnetized thermonuclear combustion in astrophysical systems. Magnetized thermonuclear burning occurs on the surfaces of neutron stars during Type I X-ray bursts, within the interiors of white dwarfs during SNe Ia, and during classical novae. Thermonuclear flames that propagate in these systems are expected to travel through inhomogeneous magnetic fields. We present the results of a series of 1.5-dimensional numerical simulations of magnetized flame propagation. A simplified flame model is used with one-step Arrhenius kinetics, an ideal gas equation of state, and constant thermal conductivity coefficients. Although idealized, the model allows for the opportunity to study the physics of the problem without the complexities of the nuclear kinetics of thermonuclear burning. We simulate the propagation of laminar flames through inhomogeneous magnetic media. A changing magnetic medium significantly alters the structure of the flame through the generation of an electric current. The electric current rotates the direction of the magnetic field within the flame and produces strong shear flows. Furthermore, for flames that conduct heat anisotropically and that propagate at an angle 0 < ψ <= π/2 to the magnetic field, the flame speed increases due to the nonuniform magnetic field. Naturally occurring flames in astrophysical systems may experience similar changes to their structure and speed that would influence the observational properties of these systems.