Absolute and convective plasma microinstabilities
Convective or absolute electrostatic instability in weakly inhomogeneous hot magnetoplasma, determining density and frequency for onset
Callen, J. D.↗
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Azimuthal and axial structures in 3D particle-in-cell simulation of Penning discharge
We report the results of a 3D particle-in-cell simulation of cylindrical Penning discharge with the axial magnetic field in the so-called reflex configuration, where the cathode and anti-cathode are biased to the same negative potential. The discharge is supported by thermal electron emission from the cathode. Electron and ion collisions, including ionization, are fully accounted for. The emphasis is on a specific regime in which the plasma potential at the center of the discharge is positive with respect to the chamber walls, serving as an anode. Spatial and temporal scales of the observed azimuthal and axial fluctuations and structures are characterized. It is suggested that azimuthal structures are caused by the dissipative gradient-drift instability. We find that the axial fluctuations related to the plasma-beam instabilities are weakly correlated with the azimuthal perturbations of the density, so that the azimuthal modes rotate as a whole and do not show any axial shear. The behavior of the electric potential is more involved, demonstrating intermittent standing wave and propagating structures in the axial direction that modulate the electron transport, producing the standing wave pattern (along the z-direction) in the radial electron flux.
3D PIC simulation of discharge↗
Simulation of plasma double-layer structures
Electrostatic plasma double layers are numerically simulated by means of a magnetized 2 1/2 dimensional particle in cell method. The investigation of planar double layers indicates that these one dimensional potential structures are susceptible to periodic disruption by instabilities in the low potential plasmas. Only a slight increase in the double layer thickness with an increase in its obliqueness to the magnetic field is observed. Weak magnetization results in the double layer electric field alignment of accelerated particles and strong magnetization results in their magnetic field alignment. The numerical simulations of spatially periodic two dimensional double layers also exhibit cyclical instability. A morphological invariance in two dimensional double layers with respect to the degree of magnetization implies that the potential structures scale with Debye lengths rather than with gyroradii. Electron beam excited electrostatic electron cyclotron waves and (ion beam driven) solitary waves are present in the plasmas adjacent to the double layers.
Borovsky, J. E.↗
Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation, and Emission in Relativistic Pair Jets
Shock acceleration is a ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., Buneman, Weibel and other two-stream instabilities) created in collisionless shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating into an ambient plasma. We find that the growth times depend on the Lorenz factors of jets. The jets with larger Lorenz factors grow slower. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates jet and ambient particles both perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. The small scale magnetic field structure generated by the Weibel instability is appropriate to the generation of "jitter" radiation from deflected electrons (positrons) as opposed to synchrotron radiation. The jitter radiation resulting from small scale magnetic field structures may be important for understanding the complex time structure and spectral evolution observed in gamma-ray bursts or other astrophysical sources containing relativistic jets and relativistic collisionless shocks.
Nishikawa, K. I.↗
The generation of electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet boundary layer
The one and two ion beam instability is considered as a possible explanation for the observations of broadband electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet region of the geomagnetic tail. When only hot streaming plasma sheet boundary layer ions are present, no broadband waves are excited. Cold, streaming ionospheric ions can generate electrostatic broadband waves propagating in the slow beam acoustic mode, but the growth rates of the waves are significantly enhanced when hot boundary layer ions are present. (Both the slow and fast beam acoustic modes can be excited, depending on the relative ion drift.) This model predicts that the wave intensity of the broad band noise should peak in the plasma sheet boundary layer. Observations of less intense electrostatic waves in the lobes and plasma sheet are likely a result of the absence of hot ion beams or large ion temperatures, respectively, which result in smaller growth rates. The ion beam instability may play an important role in the formation of the central plasma sheet.
Dusenbery, P. B.↗
Particle Acceleration and Emission in Relativistic Jets
Shock wave acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. While some Fermi acceleration may occur at the jet front, the majority of electron acceleration takes place behind the jet front and cannot be characterized as Fermi acceleration. The simulation results show that this instability is responsible for generating and amplifying highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields, which contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the jet head. The 'jitter' radiation from deflected electrons has different properties than synchrotron radiation which is calculated in a uniform magnetic field. This jitter radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants.
Nishikawa, K.↗
Particle Acceleration and Radiation associated with Magnetic Field Generation from Relativistic Collisionless Shocks
Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. While some Fermi acceleration may occur at the jet front, the majority of electron acceleration takes place behind the jet front and cannot be characterized as Fermi acceleration. The simulation results show that this instability is responsible for generating and amplifying highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields, which contribute to the electron s transverse deflection behind the jet head. The "jitter" radiation from deflected electrons has different properties than synchrotron radiation which is calculated in a uniform magnetic field. This jitter radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants.
Nishikawa, K.↗
Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation, and Emission in Relativistic Shocks
Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (m) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient parallel magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. New simulations with an ambient perpendicular magnetic field show the strong interaction between the relativistic jet and the magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are piled up by the jet and the jet electrons are bent, which creates currents and displacement currents. At the nonlinear stage, the magnetic fields are reversed by the current and the reconnection may take place. Due to these dynamics the jet and ambient electron are strongly accelerated in both parallel and perpendicular directions.
Nishikawa, Ken-IchiI.↗
Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation in Relativistic Shocks
Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient parallel magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. New simulations with an ambient perpendicular magnetic field show the strong interaction between the relativistic jet and the magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are piled up by the jet and the jet electrons are bent, which creates currents and displacement currents. At the nonlinear stage, the magnetic fields are reversed by the current and the reconnection may take place. Due to these dynamics the jet and ambient electron are strongly accelerated in both parallel and perpendicular directions.
Nishikawa, Ken-Ichi↗
Nonlinear coupling of whistler waves to oblique electrostatic turbulence enabled by cold plasma
Kinetic simulations and theory demonstrate that whistler waves can excite oblique, short-wavelength fluctuations through secondary drift instabilities if a population of sufficiently cold plasma is present. The excited modes lead to heating of the cold populations and damping of the primary whistler waves. The instability threshold depends on the density and temperature of the cold population and can be relatively small if the temperature of the cold population is sufficiently low. Furthermore, this mechanism may thus play a significant role in controlling amplitude of whistlers in the regions of the Earth's magnetosphere where cold background plasma of sufficient density is present.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Nonlinear transmission of laser light through coronal plasma due to self-induced incoherence
The success of direct laser-driven inertial con nement fusion (ICF) relies critically on the efficient coupling of laser light to plasma. At ignition scale, the absolute stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) instability can severely inhibit this coupling by redirecting and strongly depleting laser light. This article describes a new dynamic saturation regime of the absolute SRS instability near one quarter of the critical density. The saturation occurs when spatiotemporal ion-acoustic fluctuations in the plasma density detune the instability resonance. Here, the dynamic saturation mitigates the strong depletion of laser light and enhances its transmission through the instability region, explaining the coupling of laser light to ICF targets at higher plasma densities.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Light Curves and Event Rates of Axion Instability Supernovae
Abstract It was recently proposed that exotic particles can trigger a new stellar instability that is analogous to the e − e + pair instability if they are produced and reach equilibrium in the stellar plasma. In this study, we construct axion instability supernova (AISN) models caused by the new instability to predict their observational signatures. We focus on heavy axion-like particles (ALPs) with masses of ∼400 keV–2 MeV and coupling with photons of g a γ ∼ 10 −5 GeV −1 . It is found that the 56 Ni mass and the explosion energy are significantly increased by ALPs for a fixed stellar mass. As a result, the peak times of the light curves of AISNe occur earlier than those of standard pair-instability supernovae by 10–20 days when the ALP mass is equal to the electron mass. Also, the event rate of AISNe is 1.7–2.6 times higher than that of pair-instability supernovae, depending on the high mass cutoff of the initial mass function.
Mori, Kanji (ORCID:0000000325951657)↗
Filamental quenching of the current-driven ion-cyclotron instability
Since their discovery by D'Angelo and Motley (1962), ion-cyclotron waves have been an area of active research. Drummond and Rosenbluth (1962) have first conducted a theoretical analysis of the current-driven ion-cyclotron wave instability, taking into account a uniform, magnetized plasma, without magnetic shear, in which electrons drift along B field lines with the same drift velocity at all points in the plasma. Bakshi et al. (1983) have found conditions for which the instability is completely quenched. This phenomenon has been referred to as filamental quenching. The present investigation is concerned with a systematic test of the filamental quenching effect. It is found that filamental quenching operates at widths of the current channel comparable to the local Larmor radius, in agreement with the conclusions of Bakshi et al.
Cartier, S. L.↗
Plasma in the Jovian magnetosphere
It is shown that the plasma in Jupiter's ionosphere is collisionless above a certain level. In the outer magnetosphere, where the rotational force dominates the gravitational force, the collisionless plasma has a beam-like distribution and gives rise to a two-stream instability. This leads to trapping of plasma in the centrifugally dominated region of the magnetosphere. Plasma is lost by recombination. Equilibrium-trapped particle densities are calculated by requiring a balance between trapping by wave-particle interaction and loss by recombination. The results are compared with recent observations from Pioneer 10. It is suggested that the observations require an unexplained ion-heating mechanism. Some consequences of the model are discussed.
Goertz, C. K.↗
Electrostatic ion cyclotron, beam-plasma, and lower hybrid waves excited by an electron beam
It is pointed out that electrostatic ion cyclotron (EIC) waves have been extensively investigated in connection with both space and laboratory plasmas. The present investigation has the objective to study the excitation of low-frequency waves in a multiion plasma by electron beams. The frequencies considered range from below the lowest gyrofrequency of the heaviest ion to about the lower hybrid frequency. It is shown that electron-beam instabilities can produce peaks in the growth rate below the cyclotron frequency of each ion species if nonzero perpendicular wave number effects are included in the ion dynamics. The dispersion relations for neutralized ion Bernstein (NIB) and pure ion Bernstein (PIB) waves are considered along with an instability analysis for a cold plasma and warm electron beam, the electron beam-plasma mode, banded ion cyclotron (EIC) waves with small perpendicular wavelengths, and the growth lengths of the waves.
Singh, N.↗
Theory and simulation of collisionless parallel shocks
This paper presents a self-consistent theoretical model for collisionless parallel shock structure, based on the hypothesis that shock dissipation and heating can be provided by electromagnetic ion beam-driven instabilities. It is shown that shock formation and plasma heating can result from parallel propagating electromagnetic ion beam-driven instabilities for a wide range of Mach numbers and upstream plasma conditions. The theoretical predictions are compared with recently published observations of quasi-parallel interplanetary shocks. It was found that low Mach number interplanetary shock observations were consistent with the explanation that group-standing waves are providing the dissipation; two high Mach number observations confirmed the theoretically predicted rapid thermalization across the shock.
Quest, K. B.↗
Active experiments, magnetospheric modification, and a naturally occurring analogue
Recently, a scheme has been proposed which would modify the magnetosphere by injecting plasma near the equator beyond the plasmapause and initiating wave-particle instabilities. The expected effects have been examined theoretically. Injection of plasma into this region is also a naturally occurring phenomenon produced by the cross-tail electric fields which are associated with geomagnetic activity. For further investigation of magnetospheric instabilities, the advantages of examining artificially injected plasma (control of time and location of injection and of the volume of plasma injected) contrast with the advantages of studying natural enhancements (no extra payload, frequent occurrence). Thus, the two types of experiments are complementary. In preliminary studies of natural plasma enhancements both ULF and ELF emissions have been observed. The ELF noise is consistent with generation by the electron cyclotron instability.
Kivelson, M. G.↗
Evolutionary conditions for shock waves in collisionless plasma and stability of the associated flow.
Evolutionary conditions for shock waves and firehose and mirror instability conditions for associated flow in collisionless plasma with magnetic field
Morioka, S.↗