Image - This rendering illustrates magnetic kink instability in simulated jets beaming from active galactic nuclei. The jets are believed to be associated with supermassive black holes. The magnetic field line (white) in each jet is twisted as the central object (black hole) rotates. As the jets contact lower-density matter they recollimate. This causes the toroidal magnetic field to build up and become unstable. The irregular bends and asymmetries of the magnetic field lines are symptomatic of kink instability. The instability dissipates toroidal magnetic field into heat and leads to a less tightly wound magnetic field. (Credit: Berkeley Lab, Purdue University, NASA)
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