Spatial structure and time evolution of the Weibel instability in collisionless inhomogeneous plasmas

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.56.963· OSTI ID:526965

Califano, F ^[1]; Pegoraro, F ^[2]; Bulanov, S V ^[3]

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1. Scuola Normale Superiore, INFM (Forum), Pisa (Italy)
2. Department of Theoretical Physics and INFM, University of Turin, Turin (Italy)
3. General Physics Institute, RAS, Moscow (Russia)

The magnetic field generated in an initially unmagnetized and anisotropic inhomogeneous plasma by the development of the Weibel instability is strongly nonuniform. For the case of a plasma where the anisotropy arises from two (relativistic) counterstreaming electron beams it is shown, both analytically and numerically, that this instability develops a spatial {open_quotes}resonant{close_quotes}-type singularity. The largest magnetic field is generated around this singularity and has opposite polarities. In the case of one-dimensional (1D) perturbations, a current layer is formed very rapidly at the resonance position, almost independently of the characteristic scale of the initial perturbation. In 2D, numerical simulations show that a chain of current vortices is formed. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 526965
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics, Journal Name: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 56; ISSN PLEEE8; ISSN 1063-651X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
TIME DEPENDENCE