Nonlinear coherent structures of Alfvén wave in a collisional plasma

Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4958651· OSTI ID:22600018

Jana, Sayanee; Chakrabarti, Nikhil ^[1]; Ghosh, Samiran ^[2]

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1. Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700 064 (India)
2. Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Calcutta, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700 009 (India)

The Alfvén wave dynamics is investigated in the framework of two-fluid approach in a compressible collisional magnetized plasma. In the finite amplitude limit, the dynamics of the nonlinear Alfvén wave is found to be governed by a modified Korteweg-de Vries Burgers equation (mKdVB). In this mKdVB equation, the electron inertia is found to act as a source of dispersion, and the electron-ion collision serves as a dissipation. The collisional dissipation is eventually responsible for the Burgers term in mKdVB equation. In the long wavelength limit, this weakly nonlinear Alfvén wave is shown to be governed by a damped nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Furthermore, these nonlinear equations are analyzed by means of analytical calculation and numerical simulation to elucidate the various aspects of the phase-space dynamics of the nonlinear wave. Results reveal that nonlinear Alfvén wave exhibits the dissipation mediated shock, envelope, and breather like structures. Numerical simulations also predict the formation of dissipative Alfvénic rogue wave, giant breathers, and rogue wave holes. These results are discussed in the context of the space plasma.

• OSTI ID: 22600018
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 23; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON-ION COLLISIONS
ELECTRONS
FLUIDS
HOLES
IONS
KORTEWEG-DE VRIES EQUATION
MOMENT OF INERTIA
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PHASE SPACE
SCHROEDINGER EQUATION
WAVELENGTHS