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At least 19 records

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.

Electric currents in cosmic plasmas

It is suggested that dualism is essential for the physics of cosmic plasmas, that is, that some phenomena should be described by a magnetic field formalism, and others by an electric current formalism. While in earlier work the magnetic field aspect has dominated, at present there is a systematic exploration of the particle (or current) aspect. A number of phenomena which can be understood only from the particle aspect are surveyed. Topics include the formation of electric double layers, the origin of 'explosive' events like magnetic substorms and solar flares, and the transfer of energy from one region to another. A method for exploring many of these phenomena is to draw the electric circuit in which the current flows and then study its properties. A number of simple circuits are analyzed in this way.

Alfven, H.

Some topics in electrocatalysis

Liquid metal alloys surface composition and electronic structure roles in electrocatalysis evaluated by studying hydrogen-ion discharge reaction and electrical double layer

Butler, J. N.

On the nature of large auroral zone electric fields at 1-R/E/ altitude

Mechanisms that may support magnetic-field-aligned electric fields in collisionless plasma are discussed in the light of recent magnetospheric observations, which for the first time allow a quantitative test of the theoretical models. Data from barium ion releases which indicate large field-aligned potential drops and direct electric field probe measurements at high altitude which reveal electric fields of several hundred millivolts per meter are discussed. It is concluded that the large field strengths observed (1) cannot be explained by anomalous resistivity or thermoelectric effects based on wave-particle interaction, (2) are much larger than required merely to balance the local mirror forces, and (3) are compatible with electric double layers of the same nature as those observed in the laboratory.

Shawhan, S. D.

Cosmic plasma

Attention is given to experimental and theoretical approaches to plasma physics, plasma phenomena in laboratory and space, field and particle aspects of plasmas, the present state of the classical theory, boundary conditions and circuit dependence, and cosmology. Electric currents in space plasmas are considered, taking into account dualism in physics, particle-related phenomena in plasma physics, magnetic field lines, filaments, local plasma properties and the circuit, electric double layers, field-aligned currents as 'cables', an expanding circuit, different types of plasma regions, the cellular structure of space, and the fine structure of active plasma regions. Other topics discussed are related to circuits, the theory of cosmic plasmas, the origin of the solar system, the coexistence of matter and antimatter, annihilation as a source of energy, the Hubble expansion in a Euclidean space, and a model for the evolution of the Metagalaxy.

Alfven, H.

Application of Organic Solid Electrolytes

If ions are considered to be solid material which transport electric charges, polymer materials can then be considered as organic solid electrolytes. The role of these electrolytes is discussed for (1) ion concentration sensors; (2) batteries using lithium as the cathode and a charge complex of organic material and iodine in the anode; and (3) elements applying electrical double layer capability.

Sekido, S.

Experimental observations of strong double layers

A computer simulation is applied to the production of strong electric potential double layers (DL) in a triple plasma device. The simulation is intended to represent DL in the low magnetosphere above the auroral zones. The DL are described as standing electrostatic shocks with different energy coefficients in their strong and weak forms. The strong DL was generally found to be unstable, but stability could be imparted if a population of trapped electrons was presented. Stability increased with the length of the system. A schematic for the system is presented, and a phase-space plot of electrons (indicating system stability) is graphed.

Coakley, P.

Plasma double-layers produced by ponderomotive force

Non-linear rectification of the RF electric fields excited in a convectively amplifying electron beam-plasma interaction results in a dc electric field, and a corresponding ponderomotive force acting on the charged particles to produce a space-charge separation, i.e. a type of plasma double-layer. This paper analyses the effect, taking into account plasma electron temperature and electron-neutral collisions. To measure such double-layers, an electron beam probe constitutes a convenient non-perturbing diagnostic technique, but great care is required in its calibration. An analysis is presented taking into account significant non-linear effects which had been neglected in previous work. The paper concludes with some preliminary experimental results illustrating the use of the technique in a beam-plasma interaction for which a weak double-layer electric field is predicted.

Levine, J. S.

Auroral magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling: A brief topical review

Auroral arcs result from the acceleration and precipitation of magnetospheric plasma in narrow regions characterized by strong electric fields both perpendicular and parallel to the Earth's magnetic field. The various mechanisms proposed for the origin of such strong electric fields include electrostatic double layers, double reverse shocks, anomalous resistivity, magnetic mirroring of hot plasma, mapping of the magnetospheric convection electric field through an auroral discontinuity.

Chiu, Y. T.

Two-dimensional potential double layers and discrete auroras

This paper is concerned with the formation of the acceleration region for electrons which produce the visible auroral arc and with the formation of the inverted V precipitation region. The former is embedded in the latter, and both are associated with field-aligned current sheets carried by plasma sheet electrons. It is shown that an electron current sheet driven from the plasma sheet into the ionosphere leads to the formation of a two-dimensional potential double layer. For a current sheet of a thickness less than the proton gyrodiameter solutions are obtained in which the field-aligned potential drop is distributed over a length much greater than the Debye length. For a current sheet of a thickness much greater than the proton gyrodiameter solutions are obtained in which the potential drop is confined to a distance on the order of the Debye length. The electric field in the two-dimensional double-layer model is the zeroth-order field inherent to the current sheet configuration, in contrast to those models in which the electric field is attributed to the first-order field due to current instabilities or turbulences. The maximum potential in the two-dimensional double-layer models is on the order of the thermal energy of plasma sheet protons, which ranges from 1 to 10 keV.

Kan, J. R.

A fluid description of plasma double-layers

The space-charge double-layer that forms between two plasmas with different densities and thermal energies was investigated using three progressively realistic models which are treated by fluid theory, and take into account four species of particles: electrons and ions reflected by the double-layer, and electrons and ions transmitted through it. The two plasmas are assumed to be cold, and the self-consistent potential, electric field and space-charge distributions within the double-layer are determined. The effects of thermal velocities are taken into account for the reflected particles, and the modifications to the cold plasma solutions are established. Further modifications due to thermal velocities of the transmitted particles are examined. The applicability of a one dimensional fluid description, rather than plasma kinetic theory, is discussed. Theoretical predictions are compared with double layer potentials and lengths deduced from laboratory and space plasma experiments.

Levine, J. S.

Simulation of auroral double layers

Some basic properties of plasma double layers are deduced from a particle-in-cell computer simulation and related to parallel electric-field structures above the auroral regions. The simulation results on the processes leading to double-layer formation are examined, particularly in relation to the transient stage and double-layer structure and stability. It is concluded that: (1) a large potential difference applied to a finite-length plasma will be concentrated in a shocklike localized region instead of occurring over the entire length of the system; (2) the initial stage in double-layer formation is dominated by a large-potential pulse propagating in the direction of the induced electrostatic drift; (3) the entire potential is dropped over a specific scale length once the double layer has formed; and (4) this scale length is expected to be of the order of 1 km for a double layer above a discrete auroral arc with a potential of 10 kV and the electric-field vector parallel to the magnetic-field vector.

Hubbard, R. F.

Double layer formation

An investigation is conducted of the plasma processes which occur during the formation of a double layer in response to an applied initial electric field, when triggered by a current in the plasma. The important feature of the formation process was the creation of an ion-rich plasma-density cavity. The positive space charge of the cavity was shielded by induction of a negative space charge on the low potential side of the cavity, giving rise to the formation of a fully developed double layer. The shielding was complete only when the electron current from the low potential side exceeded the electron thermal current. It was found that during the formation of double layers counterstreaming electrons are generated. Moreover, transient double layers with reverse polarity also occur during this phase. Thus, the recurring formation of double layers can give rise to flickering double layers.

Singh, N.

Auroral magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling: A brief topical review

Auroral arcs result from the acceleration and precipitation of magnetospheric plasma in narrow regions characterized by strong electric fields both perpendicular and parallel to the earth's magnetic field. The various mechanisms that were proposed for the origin of such strong electric fields are often complementary Such mechanisms include: (1) electrostatic double layers; (2) double reverse shock; (3) anomalous resistivity; (4) magnetic mirroring of hot plasma; and (5) mapping of the magnetospheric-convection electric field through an auroral discontinuity.

Chiu, Y. T.

Current-driven double layers and the auroral plasma

Simulation results on current-driven double layers are presented. The role of the Buneman instability in the formation of double layers is clearly identified. The recurring formation and motion of double layers produce a temporal variation of the electric fields similar to that observed in the auroral plasma by the S3-3 satellite.

Singh, N.

Double layers on auroral field lines

Time-stationary solutions to the Vlasov-Poisson equation for ion holes and double layers were examined along with particle simulations which pertain to recent observations of small amplitude (e phi)/t sub e approx. 1 electric field structures on auroral field lines. Both the time-stationary analysis and the simulations suggest that double layers evolve from holes in ion phase space when their amplitude reaches (e phi)/t sub e approx. 1. Multiple small amplitude double layers which are seen in long simulation systems and are seen to propagate past spacecraft may account for the acceleration of plasma sheet electrons to produce the discrete aurora.

Hudson, M. K.

Paradigm transition in cosmic plasma physics

New discoveries in cosmic plasma physics are described, and their applications to solar, interstellar, galactic, and cosmological problems are discussed. The new discoveries include the existence of double layers in magnetized plasmas and in the low magnetosphere, and energy transfer by electric current in the auroral circuit. It is argued that solar flares and the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction should not be interpreted in terms of magnetic merging theories, and that electric current needs to be explicitly taken account of in understanding these phenomena. The filamentary structure of cosmic plasmas may be caused by electric currents in space, and the pinch effect may have a central role to play in the evolutionary history of interstellar clouds, stars, and solar systems. Space may have a cellular structure, with the cell walls formed by thin electric current layers. Annihilation may be the source of energy for quasars and the Hubble expansion, and the big bang cosmology may well be wrong.

Alfven, H.