Thermal Bremsstrahlung Radiation in a Two-Temperature Plasma

In normal one-temperature plasma the motion of ions is usually ne-glected when calculating the Bremsstrahlung radiation of the plasma. We calculatethe Bremsstrahlung radiation of a two-temperature plasma by taking into accountof the motion of ions. Our results show that the total radiation power is alwayslower if the motion of ions is considered. We also apply the two-temperatureBremsstrahlung radiation mechanism for an analytical Advection-Dominated Ac-cretion Flow (ADAF) model; we find the two-temperature correction to the totalBremsstrahlung radiation for ADAF is negligible.     

含电子-正电子对的双温吸积盘

本文研究包含正负电子对的双温吸积盘,正负电子对是通过非热的级联过程产生的.结果表明,对于轫致辐射盘和轫致辐射康普顿化盘,都存在一个临界吸积率.当吸积率小于临界吸积率时,盘结构有唯一的稳态解,大于临界吸积率则没有稳态解.我们求得了轫致辐射康普顿化盘的临界吸积率与α和ε_e的关系曲线.对于轫致辐射盘,电子对的影响可以忽略;而对于轫致辐射康普顿化盘,电子对的密度可达10~(-2)～10~3,电子对对盘的结构和光谱都有很大的影响.     

Studies of Plasma Dynamics in a Small Plasma Focus Operating in Hydrogen-Argon Mixtures

We report on experimental observations in PFP-I, a small 3.8 kJ plasma focus, which is operated in Hydrogen-Argon mixtures to investigate the effect of parameter modifications on the overall performance of the device. An extensive array of diagnostics is been used, which includes voltage and current probes in the external circuit, a novel small magnetic probes array located along the cathode rods, filtered PIN diodes located side and end on, and filtered multi-pinhole and slit-wire X-ray camera. Extended operating range from below 0.2 Torr upwards has been achieved. Hot spot formation has been investigated as a function of H₂-Ar mixing ratio. Hot spot sizes around 150 m in the soft X-ray region, have been inferred from the slit-wire measurements. Pin-hole time integrated X-ray pictures and time resolved PIN diode measurements have been used to determine characteristic hot-spot temperatures in the 350 to 450 eV range.     

Nonlinear Dynamics of Ionization Fronts in HII Regions

Hydrodynamic instability of an accelerating ionization front (IF) is investigated with 2D hydrodynamic simulations, including absorption of incident photoionizing photons, recombination in the HII region, and radiative molecular cooling. When the amplitude of the perturbation is large enough, nonlinear dynamics of the IF triggered by the separation of the IF from the cloud surface is observed. This causes the second harmonic of the imposed perturbation to appear on the cloud surfaces, whereas the perturbation in density of ablated gas in the HII region remains largely single mode. This mismatch of modes between the IF and the density perturbation in the HII region prevents the strong stabilization effect seen in the linear regime. Large growth of the perturbation caused by Rayleigh-Taylor-like instability is observed late in time.     

Low-Frequency Drift Wave Instabilities in a Magnetized Dusty Plasma

An investigation is presented on the very low-frequency electrostatic drift waves due to the motion of the plasma particles in the combined effect of the static magnetic field and the inhomogeneous particle distribution in a dusty plasma using the Vlasov-kinetic model of plasmas. These modes arise and are driven unstable due to the equilibrium diamagnetic currents of heavier species of the dusty plasma. The implications of these modes to the structure formations in astrophysical situations have also been pointed out. [PACS Numbers: 52.25.Vy, 52.35.Fp, 52.35.- g, 52.35.Lv]     

Wave Beams in a Plasma in a Transverse Magnetic Field

The propagation of axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic waves near the equatorial plane of the crust of a neutron star that is in a transverse magnetic field is considered. These waves are excited by a spatially limited excitation in the form of a transverse magnetic field applied to the inner boundary of the neutron star's crust. The magnetic fields and electric currents excited at the stellar surface by this wave beam are determined.     

Investigation of Shock Wave Dynamics in An Inhomogeneous Solar Atmosphere

The shock front (SF) propagation in the solar atmosphere with a power-law decrease of density is studied in the Kompaneets approximation. It is shown that the SF part moving from the Sun in the radial direction speeds up at the exponent n > 3 and slows down at n < 3. When passing from the lower corona with n = 6 to the solar wind with n = 2, the acceleration in the front part changes into deceleration. This result allows us to understand the kinematics of the SF obtained from the observational data on type II bursts at low frequencies. Besides, in the region of solar wind, new analytical solutions of the Kompaneets equation (KE) for SF have been obtained. One of them describes SF as an expanding sphere with the center moving from the Sun (plain case). Another solution has been obtained for the case of the inverse near-square law density depending on radius with the singularity at a given levelR.     

Wave Beams in an Inhomogeneous Plasma in a Transverse Magnetic Field

The propagation of axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic waves near the equatorial plane of the crust of a neutron star in a transverse magnetic field is considered. The magnetic field is perpendicular to the equatorial plane. The magnetic fields and electric currents excited by this wave beam at the stellar surface are determined.     

Nonlinear Numerical Simulations of Magneto-Acoustic Wave Propagation in Small-Scale Flux Tubes

We present results of nonlinear, two-dimensional, numerical simulations of magneto-acoustic wave propagation in the photosphere and chromosphere of small-scale flux tubes with internal structure. Waves with realistic periods of three to five minutes are studied, after horizontal and vertical oscillatory perturbations are applied to the equilibrium model. Spurious reflections of shock waves from the upper boundary are minimized by a special boundary condition. This has allowed us to increase the duration of the simulations and to make it long enough to perform a statistical analysis of oscillations. The simulations show that deep horizontal motions of the flux tube generate a slow (magnetic) mode and a surface mode. These modes are efficiently transformed into a slow (acoustic) mode in the v _A<c _S atmosphere. The slow (acoustic) mode propagates vertically along the field lines, forms shocks, and remains always within the flux tube. It might effectively deposit the energy of the driver into the chromosphere. When the driver oscillates with a high frequency, above the cutoff, nonlinear wave propagation occurs with the same dominant driver period at all heights. At low frequencies, below the cutoff, the dominant period of oscillations changes with height from that of the driver in the photosphere to its first harmonic (half period) in the chromosphere. Depending on the period and on the type of the driver, different shock patterns are observed.     

Electrostatic Wave Instability and Plasma Radiation from Coronal Loops

Polarization properties of solar and stellar radio emission require, in some cases, emission below the third or fourth coronal electron gyro level, < 3,_c; 4, _c. In the context of plasma radiation, the source parameters should be such that the intermediate magnetic field condition 1 < _p ² / _c ² < 3 is satisfied. Supposing this condition, we investigate the generation of electrostatic waves in a warm background plasma with a high-energy component of magnetically trapped electrons. We invoke the conversion of upper-hybrid waves and Bernstein waves into electromagnetic radiation as being responsible for intense radio emission from a coronal magnetic loop. Moreover, odd-half harmonic emissions in the solar radio spectrum as well as the o-mode polarization at the second harmonic of the plasma frequency are natural consequence of this proposed model.     

Dynamics of Structures in the Plasma Tail of Comet Hale–Bopp

Earth, Moon, and Planets -     

Parametric Decay of a Circularly Polarized Electromagnetic Wave in an Electron-Positron Magnetized Plasma

We study the parametric decays of an electromagnetic wave propagating along an external magnetic field in an electron-positron plasma. We include weakly relativistic effects on the particle motions in the wave field, and the nonlinear ponderomotive force. We find resonant and nonresonant wave couplings. These include, ordinary decay instabilities, in which the pump wave decays into an electro-acoustic mode and a sideband wave. There are also nonresonant couplings involving two sideband waves, and a nonresonant modulational instability in which the pump wave decays into two sideband modes. Depending on the parameters involved, there is a resonant modulational instability involving a forward propagating electro-acoustic mode and a sideband daughter wave.     

Cosmic Ray Nonlinear Processes in Space Plasma: Applications to the Dynamic Heliosphere

Influence of cosmic ray pressure and kinetic stream instability on space plasma dynamics and magnetic structure are considered. It is shown that in the outer Heliosphere are important dynamics effects of galactic cosmic ray pressure on solar wind and interplanetary shock wave propagation as well as on the formation of terminal shock wave of the Heliosphere and subsonic region between Heliosphere and interstellar medium. Kinetic stream instability effects are important on distances more than 40–60 AU from the Sun: formation of great anisotropy of galactic cosmic rays in about spiral interplanetary magnetic field leads to the Alfven turbulence generation by non isotropic cosmic ray fluxes. Generated Alfven turbulence influences on cosmic ray propagation, increases the cosmic ray modulation, decreases the cosmic ray anisotropy and increases the cosmic ray pressure gradient in the outer Heliosphere (the later is also important for terminal shock wave formation). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dynamics of an Erupting Arched Magnetic Flux Rope in a Laboratory Plasma Experiment

A laboratory plasma experiment has been built to study the eruption of arched magnetic flux ropes (AMFRs) in the presence of a large magnetized plasma. This experiment simulates the eruption of solar AMFRs in two essential steps: i) it produces an AMFR (n=6.0×10¹² cm^?3, $T_{\rm e} = 14~\mathrm{eV}$ , B≈1 kilo-gauss, L=0.51 m) with a persistent appearance that lasts several Alfvén transit times using a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB₆) plasma source, and ii) it generates controlled plasma flows from the footpoints of the AMFR using laser beams. An additional LaB₆ plasma source generates a large magnetized plasma in the background. The laser-generated flows trigger the eruption by injecting dense plasma and magnetic flux into the AMFR. The experiment is highly reproducible and runs continuously with a 0.5 Hz repetition rate; hence, several thousand identical loop eruptions are routinely generated and their spatio-temporal evolution is recorded in three-dimensions using computer-controlled movable probes. Measurements demonstrate striking similarities between the erupting laboratory and solar arched magnetic flux ropes.     

Wave Transformation and Scattering on Stationary Charged Particles in a Magnetoactive Plasma. I

The scattering and transformation of natural waves of a magnetoactive plasma on a heavy charged particle lying at a plane plasma—vacuum boundary is considered. The angular distribution and cross section for scattering (transformation) of high-frequency ordinary and extraordinary waves are investigated.     

Wave Transformation and Scattering on Stationary Charged Particles in a Magnetoactive Plasma. II

The transformation of upper-hybrid, lower-hybrid, and magnetosonic waves on a heavy charged particle lying at the plane boundary of a magnetoactive plasma is considered. The angular distribution of the radiation resulting from wave transformation is investigated. The transformation of a low-frequency magnetosonic wave is suggested as a possible mechanism for pulsar radio emission.     

The Effects of Altitude-Dependent Wave Particle Interactions on the Polar Wind Plasma

The energization of charged particles, due to interaction with the ambient electromagnetic turbulence, has a significant influence on the plasma transport in space. The effect of wave-particle interactions on the outflow characteristics of polar wind plasma was investigated. The theoretical model included gravitational acceleration (g), polarization electrostatic field (Ep), and divergence of the geomagnetic field. Within the simulation region (1.7 to 10 earth radii, Re) the ions were assume to be collisionless and the electrons to obey a Boltzmann relation. Profiles of altitude-dependent diffusion coefficients [D⊥ (O+) and D⊥ (H+)] were computed from the wave spectral density (S) observed by the Plasma Wave Instrument (PWI) on board DE-1. The effects of WPI were introduced via a Monte Carlo technique, and an iterative approach was used in order to converge to self-consistent results. The main conclusions of this study were the following. As a result of perpendicular heating, the temperature anisotropy (T| /T⊥) was reduced and even reversed (T| < T⊥) at high altitudes. The O+ velocity distribution function developed a conic shape at high altitudes. The altitudes above which the WPI influences the O+ ions were lower than those for the H+ ions. The escape flux of O+ could be enhanced by more than an order of magnitude while the H+ flux remains constant. The O+ ions are heated more efficiently than the H+ ions, especially at low altitudes due to the 'pressure cooker' effect. As the ions are heated and move to higher altitudes, the ion's Larmor radius a _L may become comparable to the perpendicular wavelength λ⊥. As the ratio aL /λ⊥ becomes > 1, the heating rate becomes self-limited and the ion distribution displays toroidal features. This result is consistent with the observation of O+ toroidal distribution in the high altitude ionosphere. Finally, the large variability in the wave spectral density S was studied. This variability was found to change our results only in a quantitative manner, while our conclusions remained qualitatively unchanged. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Small Amplitude Nonlinear Dust Acoustic Wave Propagation in Saturn's F, G and E Rings

Nonlinear properties of small amplitude dust acoustic waves, incorporatingboth the ion inertial effect and dust drift effect have been studied.The effect of dust charge variation is also incorporated. It is seen thatdue to the dust charge variation, a Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equationwith positive or negative damping term depending on the wave velocityand the ring parameters governes the nonlinear dust acoustic wave. It isseen that the damping or growth arises due to the assumption that dusthydrodynamical time scale is much smaller than that of the dust chargingscale. This assumption is valid only for planetary rings such as Saturn'sF, G and E rings. Numerical investigations reveal thatall the three rings in F, G and E, dust acoustic solitary wave admits both negative and positive potentials. Instability arises from the available freeenergy of drift motion of dust grains only for the wave with wave velocity 0, the drift velocity of the dust.     

Shear Driven Kinetic Alfven Wave with General Loss-Cone Distribution Function in the Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer

Expressions for the dispersion relation and growth rate of the KAW are derived for weak and strong shear regimes using the kinetic approach in view of the simultaneous observations of the large earthward Alfvenic Poynting flux, small-scale kinetic Alfven wave (KAW), earthward flowing electrons and upward flowing ions, at the substorm event in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). General loss-cone distribution function is adopted to describe the velocity distribution of the plasma particles. The results explain the generation of the observed KAW in the PSBL by the weak shear at the substorm onset. It is found that during the substorm expansion phase the cyclotron damping of KAW may lead to the upward flowing ion. Whereas, it’s Landau damping that may lead to the parallel energisation of the electrons that explains the observed loss of Alfvenic Poynting flux. It is also noted that the loss-cone distribution index changes the profiles of the frequency and growth rate plots of the shear-driven KAW. The loss-cone distribution function is therefore, an important factor for the excitation of KAW in the active region of the magnetosphere at the PSBL. Results are consistent with the finding of Wu and Seyler (J Geophys Res 108A6:1236, 2003) concerning kinetic Alfven wave generation and its stabilization by the sheared flow.     

Quasiperiodic Jovian Radio bursts: observations from the Ulysses Radio and Plasma Wave Experiment

The Ulysses flyby of Jupiter has permitted the detection of a variety of quasiperiodic magnetospheric phenomena. In this paper, Unified Radio and Plasma Wave Experiment (URAP) observations of quasiperiodic radio bursts are presented. There appear to be two preferred periods of short-term variability in the Jovian magnetosphere, as indicated by two classes of bursts, one with 40 min periodicity, the other with 15 min periodicity. The URAP radio direction determination capability provides clear evidence that the 40 min bursts originate near the southern Jovian magnetic pole, whereas the source location of the 15 min bursts remains uncertain. These bursts may be the signatures of quasiperiodic electron acceleration in the Jovian magnetosphere; however, only the 40 min bursts occur in association with observed electron bursts of similar periodicity. Both classes of bursts show some evidence of solar wind control. In particular, the onset of enhanced 40 min burst activity is well correlated with the arrival of high-velocity solar wind streams at Jupiter, thereby providing a remote monitor of solar wind conditions at Jupiter.