scholarly journals Diffusion at the Earth magnetopause: enhancement by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Smets ◽  
G. Belmont ◽  
D. Delcourt ◽  
L. Rezeau

Abstract. Using hybrid simulations, we examine how particles can diffuse across the Earth's magnetopause because of finite Larmor radius effects. We focus on tangential discontinuities and consider a reversal of the magnetic field that closely models the magnetopause under southward interplanetary magnetic field. When the Larmor radius is on the order of the field reversal thickness, we show that particles can cross the discontinuity. We also show that with a realistic initial shear flow, a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability develops that increases the efficiency of the crossing process. We investigate the distribution functions of the transmitted ions and demonstrate that they are structured according to a D-shape. It accordingly appears that magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause is not the only process that leads to such specific distribution functions. A simple analytical model that describes the built-up of these functions is proposed.

1971 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Pilipp ◽  
H. J. Völk

Transverse waves and instabilities propagating along the magnetic field in a homogeneous plasma are discussed analytically and numerically for frequencies of the order of the ion cyclotron frequency and below. The free energy driving the instabilities is assumed to be provided by thermal anisotropies, with the parallel temperature exceeding the perpendicular temperature, a situation appropriate to the solar wind near the earth and to the downstream conditions in collisionless shocks propagating approximately parallel to the magnetic field. It is shown that in the case where the ion β is of order one the long wavelength Firehose instability is not stabilized by finite Larmor radius effects, but that for smaller wavelengths it goes over smoothly into the resonant proton mode, discussed by Kennel & Scarf (1968).


1994 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 1102-1110 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. K. Sanghvi ◽  
R. K. Chhajlani

Abstract A linear analysis of the combined influence of a finite ion Larmor radius and suspended particles on Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the presence of a uniform magnetic field is carried out. The magnetic field is assumed to be uniform and transverse to the direction of streaming. The medium is assumed to be incompressible. Certain simplifying assumptions are made for the motion of the suspended particles. A dispersion relation for such a medium has been obtained using appropriate boundary conditions. The stabilizing effect of a finite Larmor radius has been reasserted in the absence of the suspended particles. A stability criterion for the medium is derived, which is found to be independent of the presence of the suspended particles. Similarly a condition of instability of the system is also derived. Numerical analysis is presented in a few limiting cases of interest. Furthermore, growth rates of unstable modes of the configuration with increasing relaxation fre­quency of the particles and finite Larmor radius have been evaluated analytically. It is shown that the finite Larmor radius in the presence of the suspended particles destabilizes a certain wave number band which is stable otherwise. Implications of the suspended particles on the growth rate of unstable modes are discussed in the limit of vanishing ion Larmor radius.


1974 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Srivastava

We have investigated the effect of finite Larmor radius on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a semi-infinite, compressible, stratified and infinitely conducting plasma. The plasma is assumed to have a one dimensional density and magnetic field gradients. The eigenvalue problem has been solved under Boussinesq approximation for disturbances parallel to the magnetic field. It has been established that for perturbation parallel to the magnetic field, the system is stable for both stable and unstable stratification. For perturbation perpendicular to the magnetic field, the problem has been solved without Boussinesq approximation. The dispersion relation has been discussed in the two limiting cases, the short and long wave disturbances. It has been observed that the gyroviscosity has a destabilizing influence from k = 0 to k = 4.5 for ß* = 0.1 and for ß* = 0.1 up to k* = 2.85 and then onwards it acts as a stabilizing agent. It has a damping effect on the short wave disturbances. For some parameters, the largets imaginary part has been shown in Figs. 1 and 2


1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (22) ◽  
pp. 2435-2437 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Ariel ◽  
P. K. Bhatia

The effects of a finite Larmor radius of the ions are investigated on the Rayleigh–Taylor instability of a plasma in which there is a density gradient in a direction perpendicular to that of the magnetic field. It is found that the unstable configuration is completely stabilized by the finite Larmor radius effect.


1976 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna M. Srivastava ◽  
F. Waelbroeck

We have investigated the stability of the screw pinch with the help of the double adiabatic (CGL) equations including the finite Larmor radius effects through the anisotropic pressure tensor. The calculations are approximate, with FLR treated as a first-order correction to the ideal plasma equations. The dispersion relation has been solved for various values of R2 = p∥/p⊥ and α for the rale and imaginary part of the frequency (ω = ωR ± iωI) in three particular cases: (a) μ = 0, the θ-pinch, (b) μ = ∞, the Z-pinch, (c) μ = -α/m, field distubances parallel to the equilibrium field. Here μ is the pitch of the magnetic field in the pressureless plasma surrounding the main column, α is the wave number, m is the azimuthal number, p∥ and p⊥ are plasma pressures along and perpendicular to the magnetic field.


1982 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Khanna ◽  
R. Rajaram

It is shown that the asymptotic evolution of a finite-amplitude Alfvén wave propagating parallel to the uniform magnetic field in a warm homogeneous collisionless plasma is governed by the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The dispersion is provided by the ion finite Larmor radius (FLR) effects in the momentum equation and the Hall current and electron pressure corrections to the generalized Ohm's law. In the cold plasma limit the equations reduce to those available in the literature. It is suggested that these calculations can have a bearing on the investigation of the structure of MHD waves in the solar wind.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pushplata ◽  
A. Vijay

AbstractLaser beat wave heating of magnetized plasma via electron cyclotron damping is proposed and analyzed. A plasma density ripple is presumed to exist across the magnetic field. Two collinear lasers propagating along the magnetic field exert a beat frequency ponderomotive force on electrons, driving a large amplitude Bernstein quasi-mode which suffers cyclotron damping on electrons. Finite Larmor radius effects play an important role in the heating. Electron temperature initially rises linearly with time. As the temperature rises cyclotron damping becomes stronger and temperature rises rapidly. The process, however, requires ripple wavelength shorter than the wavelength of the beat wave.


1978 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirosh Nagano

The effect of finite ion Larmor radius on the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability is investigated in the cases of an incompressible and a compressible plasma. When a wave vector is perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field, the effect of finite Larmor radius (FLR) stabilizes perturbations with a wavenumber exceeding a critical value, while there exists another case that the FLR effect destabilizes still more than the usual MHD approximation. The difference between these cases is decided from the configuration of flow velocity and magnetic field. When a wave vector is parallel to a magnetic field, the FLR effect tends to stabilize perturbations with a larger wavenumber.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 110-119
Author(s):  
Pardeep Kumar ◽  
Sumit Gupta

The effect of finite Larmor radius of the ions on thermal convection of a plasma is investigated. The case with vertical magnetic field is discussed. Following linear stability theory and normal mode analysis method, the dispersion relation is obtained. It is found that the presence of finite Larmor radius and magnetic field introduces oscillatory modes in the system which were, otherwise, non-existent in their absence. When the instability sets in as stationary convection, finite Larmor radius is found to have a stabilizing effect. Medium permeability has a destabilizing (or stabilizing) effect and the magnetic field has a stabilizing (or destabilizing) effect under certain conditions in the presence of finite Larmor radius effect whereas in the absence of finite Larmor radius effect, the medium permeability and the magnetic field have destabilizing and stabilizing effects, respectively. The sufficient conditions for the non-existence of overstability are also obtained.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 68-78
Author(s):  
Pardeep Kumar ◽  
Gursharn Jit Singh

The thermal convection of a plasma in porous medium is investigated to include simultaneously the effect of rotation and the finiteness of the ion Larmor radius (FLR) in the presence of a vertical magnetic field. Following linear stability theory and normal mode analysis method, the dispersion relation is obtained. It is found that the presence of a uniform rotation, finite Larmor radius and magnetic field introduces oscillatory modes in the system which were, otherwise, non-existent in their absence. When the instability sets in as stationary convection, finite Larmor radius, rotation, medium permeability and magnetic field are found to have stabilizing (or destabilizing) effects under certain conditions. In the absence of rotation, finite Larmor radius has stabilizing effect on the thermal instability of the system whereas the medium permeability and the magnetic field may have stabilizing or destabilizing effect under certain conditions. The conditions κ<[ε+(1-ε) (ρ_S C_S)/(ρ_0 C)]η and κ<(ε^2 [ε+(1-ε) (ρ_S C_S)/(ρ_0 C)]ν)/(P^2 [εP{√U (x-2)+√(T_(A_1 ) )}^2-2Q_1 ] ) are the sufficient conditions for non-existence of overstability, the violation of which does not necessary involve an occurrence of overstability.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document