Plasma dynamics on current-carrying magnetic flux tubes 2. Low potential simulation

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JA00995· OSTI ID:7248615

Swift, D W ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks (United States)

The evolution of plasma in a current-carrying magnetic flux tube of variable cross section is investigated using a one-dimensional numerical simulation. The flux tube is narrow at the two ends and broad in the middle. The middle part of the flux tube is loaded with a hot, magnetically trapped population, and the two ends have a more dense, gravitationally bound population. A potential difference larger than the gravitational potential but less than the energy of the hot population is applied across the domain. The general result is that the potential change becomes distributed along the anode half of the domain, with negligible potential change on the cathode half. The potential is supported by the mirror force of magnetically trapped particles. The simulations show a steady depletion of plasma on the anode side of the flux tube. The current steadily decreases on a time scale of an ion transit time. The results may provide an explanation for the observed plasma depletions on auroral field lines carrying upward currents.

• OSTI ID: 7248615
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 97:A8; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL ZONES
PLASMA DENSITY
ELECTRONS
ACCELERATION
AURORAE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
TRAPPING
COLLISIONS
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
LEPTONS
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PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
SIMULATION
661320* - Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena- (1992-)