The galactic center isolated nonthermal filaments as analogs of cometary plasma tails

We propose a model for the origin of the isolated nonthermal filaments obse rved at the Galactic center based on an analogy to cometary plasma tails. W e invoke the interaction between a large-scale magnetized galactic wind and embedded molecular clouds. As the advected wind magnetic held encounters a dense molecular cloud, it is impeded and drapes around the cloud, ultimate ly forming a current sheet in the wake. This draped held is further stretch ed by the wind flow into a long, thin filament the aspect ratio of which is determined by the balance between the dynamical wind and amplified magneti c held pressures. The key feature of this cometary model is that the filame nts are dynamic configurations, and not static structures. As such, they ar e local amplifications of an otherwise weak field and not directly connecte d to any static global held. The derived held strengths for the wind and wa ke are consistent with observational estimates. Finally, the observed synch rotron emission is naturally explained by the acceleration of electrons to high energy by plasma and MHD turbulence generated in the cloud wake.