The Dynamics and Structure of Inertially Confined Plasma Clouds

Models for the evolution of inertially confined plasma clouds are developed and discussed. Providing magnetic flux is conserved, the general evolution of a plasmon does not depend on the internal equation of state of the cloud. It is shown that a plasmon can travel a distance $$\sim\,({\rho}_{0}/{\rho}_{IG}){r}_{0}$$ before dispersing, where ρ ₀ is the initial density of the plasma cloud, r₀ is the initial radius of the plasmon, and PIG is the density of the intergalactic medium. Energy losses due to synchrotron radiation and the Compton effect can shorten the observable lifetime of a radio source, and this problem is discussed as it relates to observations of extended double radio galaxies. Specifically, it is concluded that in a closed universe $$({\rho IG}\,\gtrsim\,{10}^{-29}\,\text{g}\,\text{cm}^{-3})$$ , the components of giant (component separation $$\gt\,{10}^{5}$$ pc) double radio galaxies are probably not ejected with relativistic velocities. It is also shown, using these models, that the upper limit on the observed separation between the components of double radio galaxies of $$\sim\,3\,\times\,{10}^{5}$$ pc, implies an upper limit on the intergalactic matter density of $$\sim\,3.5\,\times\,{10}^{-29}\,\text{g}\,\text{cm}^{-3}.$$