Low frequency collective modes in dense relativistic-degenerate strongly coupled plasma

It is shown that low frequency electrostatic ion mode couples with electromagnetic shear Alfven mode in a dense plasma containing strongly coupled non-degenerate ion and relativistic degenerate electron fluids. By employing the appropriate fluid equations, a linear dispersion equation is obtained which shows modifications due to ion correlations and electron relativistic degeneracy. The results are discussed in the ultra-relativistic and weak-relativistic limits and implications of the results in dense degenerate plasmas of astrophysical origin (e.g., white dwarf stars) are pointed out with possible consequences.     

Electrostatic compressive and rarefactive shocks and solitons in relativistic plasmas occurring in polar regions of pulsar

The electrostatic shocks and solitons are studied in weakly relativistic and collisional electron-positron-ion plasmas occurring in polar regions of pulsar. The plasma system is composed of relativistically streaming electrons, positrons while ions are taken to be stationary. Dissipative effects in the system are due to collision phenomena among the constituents of relativistic plasma. Nonlinear dynamics of the dissipation and dispersion dominated relativistic plasma systems are governed by Korteweg-de Vries Burger (KdVB) and Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equations respectively. Numerical results, exploring the effects of plasma parameters on the profile of nonlinear waves are expedited graphically for illustration. Positron to electron temperature ratio plays the role of a decisive parameter. It is noticed that compressive shocks and solitons evolve in the system if the positron to electron temperature ratio is less than a critical value. However, there exists a threshold value of positron to electron temperature ratio beyond which the system supports the rarefactive shocks and solitons. The results may have importance in the relativistic plasmas of pulsar magnetosphere.     

Low frequency shear electromagnetic modes in strongly coupled, relativistic-degenerate, astrophysical electron-positron-ion plasmas

Starting from appropriate fluid equations, a dispersion relation describing the properties of low frequency (as compared to the ion gyrofrequency) shear electromagnetic mode in an ultra-dense, relativistic-degenerate plasma is derived and examined. The plasma constituents are fully degenerate electrons and positrons, and strongly correlated non-degenerate ions. It is found that the shear mode can couple with the electrostatic ion mode under certain circumstances. The electron and positron relativistic degeneracy and ion correlations significantly affect the waves. However, the electron degeneracy pressure is dominant because the density balance changes due to the presence of ions in electron-positron pair plasma. The results are discussed numerically in the ultra-relativistic and weakly-relativistic limits, indicating relevance to the dense plasmas, produced in laboratory (e.g., super-intense laser-dense matter experiments), and astrophysical regimes.     

Numerical solutions of ideal two-fluid equations very closed to the event horizon of Schwarzschild black hole

The 3+1 formalism of Thorne, Price and MacDonald has been used to derive the linear two-fluid equations describing transverse and longitudinal waves propagating in the two-fluid ideal collisionless plasmas surrounding a Schwarzschild black hole. The plasma is assumed to be falling in radial direction toward the event horizon. The relativistic two-fluid equations have been reformulate, in analogy with the special relativistic formulation as explained in an earlier paper, to take account of relativistic effects due to the event horizon. Here a WKB approximation is used to derive the local dispersion relation for these waves and solved numerically for the wave number k.     

Ohm’s law for plasma in general relativity and Cowling’s theorem

The general-relativistic Ohm’s law for a two-component plasma which includes the gravitomagnetic force terms even in the case of quasi-neutrality has been derived. The equations that describe the electromagnetic processes in a plasma surrounding a neutron star are obtained by using the general relativistic form of Maxwell equations in a geometry of slow rotating gravitational object. In addition to the general-relativistic effect first discussed by Khanna and Camenzind (Astron. Astrophys. 307:665, 1996) we predict a mechanism of the generation of azimuthal current under the general relativistic effect of dragging of inertial frames on radial current in a plasma around neutron star. The azimuthal current being proportional to the angular velocity ω of the dragging of inertial frames can give valuable contribution on the evolution of the stellar magnetic field if ω exceeds 2.7×10¹⁷(n/σ) s⁻¹ (n is the number density of the charged particles, σ is the conductivity of plasma). Thus in general relativity a rotating neutron star, embedded in plasma, can in principle generate axial-symmetric magnetic fields even in axisymmetry. However, classical Cowling’s antidynamo theorem, according to which a stationary axial-symmetric magnetic field can not be sustained against ohmic diffusion, has to be hold in the general-relativistic case for the typical plasma being responsible for the rotating neutron star.     

Generation of Magnetic Field and Fast Particles During Collision of Electron-Positron Plasma Clouds

We present results of analytical studies and 2D3V PIC simulations of electron-positron plasma cloud collisions. We concentrate on the problem of quasi-static magnetic field generation. It is shown from linear theory, using relativistic two-fluid equations for electron-positron plasmas, that the generation of a quasi-static magnetic field can be associated with the counter-streaming instability. A two-dimensional relativistic particle simulation provides good agreement with the above linear theory and that, in the nonlinear stage of the instability, about 5.3% of the initial plasma flow energy can be converted to magnetic field energy. It is also shown from the simulation that the quasi-static magnetic field undergoes a collision-less change of structure, leading to large scale, long living structures and the production of high-energy particles. These processes may be important for understanding of production of high-energy particles in the region where two pulsar winds collide. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cavitation by Nonlinear Interaction Between Inertial Alfvén Waves and Magnetosonic Waves in Low Beta Plasmas

This paper presents the model equations governing the nonlinear interaction between dispersive Alfvén wave (DAW) and magnetosonic wave in the low-β plasmas (β≪m _e/m _i; known as inertial Alfvén waves (IAWs); here \upbeta = 8pn₀T /B₀²\upbeta = 8\pi n_{0}T /B_{0}^{2} is thermal to magnetic pressure, n ₀ is unperturbed plasma number density, T(=T _e≈T _i) represents the plasma temperature, and m _e(m _i) is the mass of electron (ion)). This nonlinear dynamical system may be considered as the modified Zakharov system of equations (MZSE). These model equations are solved numerically by using a pseudo-spectral method to study the nonlinear evolution of density cavities driven by IAW. We observed the nonlinear evolution of IAW magnetic field structures having chaotic behavior accompanied by density cavities associated with the magnetosonic wave. The relevance of these investigations to low-β plasmas in solar corona and auroral ionospheric plasmas has been pointed out. For the auroral ionosphere, we observed the density fluctuations of ∼ 0.07n ₀, consistent with the FAST observation reported by Chaston et al. (Phys. Scr. T84, 64, 2000). The heating of the solar corona observed by Yohkoh and SOHO may be produced by the coupling of IAW and magnetosonic wave via filamentation process as discussed here.     

Planar and nonplanar quantum dust ion-acoustic Gardner double layers in multi-ion dusty plasma

The longitudinal fast solitary waves induced by weakly relativistic positron showers of astrophysical origin are studied in a plasma system contaminated with some massive impurities in presence of superthermal effects. The superthermal effects are due to the high energy electrons. The impurities are dust corpuscles with positive and negative charges. It is noticed that increase in the kappa parameter of electrons and relativistic streaming factor of weakly relativistic positron shower, negative dust concentration invoke an enhancement in the strength of solitary wave. On the other hand increase in the shower’s temperature as well as positive dust concentration diminish the solitary hump strength. It is worth to mention that only hump type compressive fast solitary waves are predicted by our model, for the given set of plasma parameters, because the convective coefficient of the nonlinear governing equation for solitary wave remains positive in considered regime of interaction for plasma and positron shower. Our calculations in linear regime predict both the fast and slow positron shower induced longitudinal, electrostatic perturbations. Our results may be of importance in understanding the nonlinear propagation of waves in doped astrophysical superthermal plasmas with relativistic positron showers.     

Electrostatic drift vortices in a hot rotating strongly magnetized electron-positron pulsar plasma

Electrostatic drift wave in a hot rotating and strongly magnetized electron-positron pulsar plasma is considered. Using relativistic two fluid equations a pair of coupled nonlinear equations is derived. It is shown that the wave can propagate in the form of two-dimensional dipolar vortices at ultrarelativistic temperature (Tmc ²) of the plasma. The latter may affect the energy transport in the hot plasma, which can lead to a new turbulent state in the pulsar magnetosphere.     

Transport phenomena and abundance anomalies in cosmic plasma

Hydrodynamical equations for a fully ionized hydrogen-helium plasma are derived by the Chapman-Enskog method. The electron and ion transport coefficients are found as the functions of electron and ion temperatures and number densities as well as of the magnetic field strength. The presented equations are needed for describing transport phenomena in laboratory and cosmic plasmas. It is shown that transport phenomena can produce abundance anomalies; e. g., a sound wave propagating through a homogeneous plasma may be accompanied by the oscillations of chemical composition. Various astrophysical consequences of the theory are discussed.     

Hot plasma waves in Veselago medium around Reissner-Nordström black hole

We investigate the general relativistic magnetohydronadynamic (GRMHD) equations for hot plasmas in a Veselago medium around the Reissner-Nordström (RN) black hole. Using the 3+1 formalisms of spacetime, we write the GRMHD equations and perturb them linearly. These are then Fourier analyzed for the magnetized and nonmagnetized plasmas in rotating and nonrotating backgrounds. We derive dispersion relations and analyze the wave properties by the graphs of wave vector, refractive index and change in refractive. The results confirm the presence of Veselago medium for rotating magnetized/nonmagnetized and nonrotating nonmagnetized plasmas.     

Scalable Dynamics of High Energy Relativistic Electrons: Theory, Numerical Simulations and Experimental Results

Similarity theory, which is necessary in order to apply the results of laboratory astrophysics experiments to relativistic astrophysical plasmas, is presented. The analytical predictions of the similarity theory are compared with PIC numerical simulations and the most recent experimental data on monoenergetic electron acceleration in diluted plasmas and high harmonic generation at overdense plasma boundaries. We demonstrate that similarity theory is a reliable tool for explaining a surprisingly wide variety of laboratory plasma phenomena the predictions of which can be scaled up to astrophysical dimensions.     

Ion-acoustic shock waves in a plasma with weakly relativistic warm ions, thermal positrons and a background electron nonextensivity

A weakly nonlinear analysis is carried out to derive a Korteweg–de Vries-Burgers-like equation for small, but finite amplitude, ion-acoustic waves in a dissipative plasma consisting of weakly relativistic ions, thermal positrons and nonextensive electrons. The travelling wave solution has been acquired by employing the tangent hyperbolic method. Our results show that in a such plasma, ion-acoustic shock waves, the strength and steepness of which are significantly modified by relativistic, nonextensive and dissipative effects, may exist. Interestingly, we found that because of ion kinematic viscosity, an initial solitonic profile develops into a shock wave. This later evolves towards a monotonic profile (dissipation-dominant case) as the electrons deviate from their Maxwellian equilibrium. Our investigation may help to understand the dissipative structures that may occur in high-energy astrophysical plasmas.     

Advances in numerical modeling of astrophysical and space plasmas

Plasma science is rich in distinguishable scales ranging from the atomic to the galactic to the meta-galactic, i.e., themesoscale. Thus plasma science has an important contribution to make in understanding the connection between microscopic and macroscopic phenomena. Plasma is a system composed of a large number of particles which interact primarily, but not exclusively, through the electromagnetic field. The problem of understanding the linkages and couplings in multi-scale processes is a frontier problem of modern science involving fields as diverse as plasma phenomena in the laboratory to galactic dynamics.Unlike the first three states of matter, plasma, often called the fourth state of matter, involves the mesoscale and its interdisciplinary founding have drawn upon various subfields of physics including engineering, astronomy, and chemistry. Basic plasma research is now posed to provide, with major developments in instrumentation and large-scale computational resources, fundamental insights into the properties of matter on scales ranging from the atomic to the galactic. In all cases, these are treated as mesoscale systems. Thus, basic plasma research, when applied to the study of astrophysical and space plasmas, recognizes that the behavior of the near-earth plasma environment may depend to some extent on the behavior of the stellar plasma, that may in turn be governed by galactic plasmas. However, unlike laboratory plasmas, astrophysical plasmas will forever be inaccessible to in situ observation. The inability to test concepts and theories of large-scale plasmas leaves only virtual testing as a means to understand the universe. Advances in in computer technology and the capability of performing physics first principles, fully three-dimensional, particle-in-cell simulations, are making virtual testing a viable alternative to verify our predictions about the far universe.The first part of this paper explores the dynamical and fluid properties of the plasma state, plasma kinetics, and the radiation emitted from plasmas. The second part of this paper outlines the formulation for the particle-in-cell simulation of astrophysical plasmas and advances in simulational techniques and algorithms, as-well-as the advances that may be expected as the computational resource grows to petaflop speed/memory capabilities.Dedicated to the memories of Hannes Alfvén and Oscar Buneman; Founders of the Subject.     

Closed form Vaidya-Tikekar type charged fluid spheres with pressure

Recently, Bijalwan (Astrophys. Space Sci. doi:, 2011) discussed all important solutions of charged fluid spheres with pressure and Gupta et al. (Astrophys. Space Sci. doi:, 2010) found first closed form solutions of charged Vaidya-Tikekar (V-T) type super-dense star. We extend here the approach evolved by Bijalwan (Astrophys. Space Sci. doi:, 2011) to find all possible closed form solutions of V-T type super-dense stars. The existing solutions of Vaidya-Tikekar type charged fluid spheres considering particular form of electric field intensity are being used to model massive stars. Infact at present maximum masses of the star models are found to be 8.223931M _Θ and 8.460857M _Θ subject to ultra-relativistic and non-relativistic conditions respectively. But these stars with such are large masses are not well behaved due to decreasing velocity of sound in the interior of star. We present new results concerning the existence of static, electrically charged perfect fluid spheres that have a regular interior. It is observed that electric intensity used in this article can be used to model superdense stars with ultrahigh surface density of the order 2×10¹⁴ gm/cm³ which may have maximum mass 7.26368240M _Θ for ultra-relativistic condition and velocity of sound found to be decreasing towards pressure free interface. We solve the Einstein-Maxwell equations considering a general barotropic equation of state with pressure. For brevity we don’t present a detailed analysis of the derived solutions in this paper.     

Relativistic anisotropic pair plasmas

The properties of waves able to propagate in a relativistic pair plasma are at the basis of the interpretation of several astrophysical observations. For instance, they are invoked in relation to radio emission processes in pulsar magnetospheres and to radiation mechanisms for relativistic radio jets. In such physical environments, pair plasma particles probably have relativistic, or even ultrarelativistic, temperatures. Besides, the presence of an extremely strong magnetic field in the emission region constrains the particles to one-dimensional motion: all the charged particles strictly move along magnetic field lines.
We take anisotropic effects and relativistic effects into account by choosing one-dimensional relativistic Jűttner–Synge distribution functions to characterize the distribution of electrons and/or positrons in a relativistic, anisotropic pair plasma. The dielectric tensor, from which the dispersion relation associated with plane wave perturbations of such a pair plasma is derived, involves specific coefficients that depend on the distribution function of particles. A precise determination of these coefficients, using the relativistic one-dimensional Jűttner–Synge distribution function, allows us to obtain the appropriate dispersion relation. The properties of waves able to propagate in anisotropic relativistic pair plasmas are deduced from this dispersion relation. The conditions in which a beam and a plasma, both ultrarelativistic, may interact and trigger off a two-stream instability are obtained from this same dispersion relation. Two astrophysical applications are discussed.     

Nonlinear Drift-Alfvén Waves in Relativistically Hot Nonuniform Electron-Positron Plasmas

The magnetic viscosity tensor is derived for a magnetized relativistic collisionless plasma with temperature gradients. By means of this tensor we deduce the nonlinear equations for drift–Alfvén waves in a relativistic electron-positron low plasma with density and temperature gradients. It is shown that our new equations have solutions in the form of dipolar vortices. The present results should be relevant to a number of astrophysical objects with strong electron-positron pair production, e.g. in pulsars as well as in accretion disks and jets.     

Astrophysical naturally moderated classical positron beam interaction with nonlinear waves in nonextensive astrophysical plasmas

The positron acoustic shock and solitary wave are explored in nonextensive electron-positron-ion plasma. The plasma system under-consideration, consists of a classical positron beam, q distributed electrons and positively charged bulky ions constitute a neutralizing background. The nonlinear Korteweg-de Vries and Burger equations are derived by employing the standard reductive perturbation method. The positron acoustic wave in linear limit is also discussed for dissipative as well as nondissipative cases of nonextensive plasmas. The plasma parameters such as, the concentration of neutralizing ions background, beam velocity, temperature and q parameter of the nonextensive electrons are noticed to significantly affect the positron acoustic shock and solitary waves. Our findings may be helpful in the understanding of laboratory beam plasma interaction experiments as well as the astrophysical nonextensive plasmas interacting with positron beam.     

Effects of plasma rotation on alfvén solitons in pulsar magnetospheres

Nonlinear Alfvén wave in a hot rotating and strongly magnetized electron-positron plasma is considered. Using relativistic two fluid equations, the dispersion relation for Alfvén wave in the rotating plasma is obtained. Large amplitude Alfvén solitons are found to exist in the rotating pulsar plasma. Rotational effects on solitons are discussed.     

Equations for a plasma consisting of matter and antimatter

A set of fluid type equations is derived to describe the macroscopic behaviour of a plasma consisting of a mixture of matter and antimatter. The equations are written in a form which displays the full symmetry of the medium with respect to particle charge and mass, a symmetry absent in normal plasmas. This symmetry of the equations facilitates their manipulation and solution, and by way of illustration the equations are used to analyze the propagation of electromagnetic and acoustic waves through a matter-antimatter plasma. Some differences from the propagation of such waves in a normal plasma are noted.