Properties of dispersive Alfven waves: 4. Hydrodynamics (finite and high-pressure plasmas)

The behavior of dispersive Alfven waves (DAWs) in astrophysical plasmas of finite and high pressure, which have not been considered thus far, is studied in the hydrodynamic approximation. The results are analyzed and compared with those obtained in the kinetic approach. It is shown that one general solution for DAWs in plasmas of finite and high pressure can be obtained using the hydrodynamic approach in contrast to the kinetic one. Kinetic and hydrodynamic solutions correspond to each other very well in a domain with weakly damped DAWs; however, solutions may differ appreciably in some parameter domains, especially in high-pressure plasma. The effect of parameters of the astrophysical medium on the DAW behavior and properties is analyzed. All the main wave characteristics were determined: dispersion, damping, polarization, density perturbations, and charge density perturbations. Since finite-pressure plasma is one of the most frequently encountered states of astrophysical plasma, it is very important to take into account specific features in behavior of these waves for their detecting and a more correct understanding of their behavior and the role they play in different astrophysical processes that occur in space environment.     

Study of inertial kinetic Alfven waves around cusp region

The effect of electron inertia on kinetic Alfven wave has been studied. The expressions for the dispersion relation, growth/damping rate and growth/damping length of the inertial kinetic Alfven wave (IKAW) are derived using the kinetic approach in cusp region. The Vlasov-kinetic theory has been adopted to evaluate the dispersion relation, growth/damping rate and growth/damping length with respect to the perpendicular wave number k_⊥ρ_i (ρ_i is the ion gyroradius) at different plasma densities. The growth/damping rate and growth/damping length are evaluated for different m_e/βm_i, where β is the ratio of electron pressure to the magnetic field pressure, m_{i, e} are the mass of ion and electron, respectively, as I=m_e/βm_i represent boundary between the kinetic and inertial regimes. It is observed that frequency of inertial kinetic Alfven wave (IKAW) ω is decreasing with k_⊥ρ_i and plasma density. The polar cusp is an ideal laboratory for studies of nonlinear plasma processes important for understanding the basic plasma physics, as well as the magnetospheric and astrophysical applications of these processes.     

Nonlinear dust acoustic waves in electronegative dusty plasmas

The problem of nonlinear localized dust acoustic (DA) is addressed in a plasma comprising positive ions, negative ions, and mobile negatively charged dust grains. We first consider the case when the grain charge remains constant and discuss later the case when the charge variations are self-consistently included. It is found that a relative increase of the positive ion density favors the propagation of the DA solitary waves, in the sense that the domain of their admissible Mach numbers enlarges. Furthermore, electronegativity makes the dust acoustic solitary structure more spiky. When the dust grain charge Q _d is allowed to fluctuate, the latter is expressed in terms of the Lambert function and we take advantage of this transcendental function to investigate the variable charge DA solitary wave. Q _d adopts a localized profile and becomes more negative as the number of charges Z ₍₋₎ of the negative ion increases. The dust grains are found to be highly localized. This localization (accumulation) caused by a balance of the electrostatic forces acting on the dust grains becomes more effective for lower values of Z ₍₋₎. An increase of Z ₍₋₎ may lead to a local depletion of the negative ions from the region of the soliton’s localization. The results are useful to understand the salient features of localization of large amplitude dust acoustic waves in cosmic plasmas such as the ionospheric D-region and the mesosphere.     

Nonlinear wave-wave interactions in astrophysical and space plasmas

We discuss nonlinear mode-mode coupling phenomena in cosmic plasmas. Four problems are considered: (1) nonlinear three-wave processes in the planetary magnetosphere involving the interaction of auroral Langmuir, Alfvén and whistler waves, (2) nonlinear three-wave processes in the solar wind involving the modulation of Langmuir and electromagnetic waves by ion-acoustic waves, (3) order and chaos in nonlinear four-wave processes in cosmic plasmas, and (4) regular and chaotic dynamics of the relativistic Langmuir turbulence and its application to pulsar and AGN emissions. The observational evidence in support of nonlinear wave-wave interactions in space and astrophysical plasmas is presented.     

Nonlinear propagation of electromagnetic waves in magnetized electron-positron plasmas

The nonlinear interaction of the external magnetic field-aligned circularly polarized electro-magnetic radiation with a cold electron-positron plasma is considered. A set of nonlinear equations is derived describing the coupling of the radiation with cold electrostatic oscillations. Modulational instabilities and wave localization are discussed.     

Nonlinear propagation of Alfvén waves in cometary plasmas

Large-amplitude Alfvén waves propagating along the guide magnetic field in a three-component plasma are shown to be spatially localized due to their nonlinear interaction with nonresonant electrostatic density fluctuations. A new class of subsonic Alfvén soliton solutions are found to exist in the three-component plasma. The Alfvén solitons can be relevant in explaining the properties of hydromagnetic turbulence near the comets.     

Double layers and collapsible waves in plasmas expected in interplanetary space

The propagation of ion-acoustic waves by the augmentation of Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation are studied in a plasma in relation to that existing in the interplanetary space. We precisely pointed out the causes of occuring the double layers as well as collapsing of the solitary waves in the plasma dynamics.     

A new concept for detecting electromagnetic and electrostatic waves in space plasmas

The proposed system measures the conduction current associated with electromagnetic and electrostatic waves propagated in space plasmas. The current collected by a probe flows through a measuring device, and is subsequently returned to the medium by means of an electron emitter. By way of illustration, the response of this system to the electron acoustic mode is investigated.This technique not only opens the way to the measurement of an additional plasma wave parameter, but it also offers inherent advantages over usual antennas, especially in magnetospheric and planetary environments.     

Propagation of Alfven waves in a non-uniform plasma stream

The propagation of the Alfven waves in a plasma stream with a non-uniform density distribution is considered. It is shown that the density inhomogeneity will cause self-scattering of the wave. A longitudinal magnetic field component will be generated and part of the energy of the wave will propagate in directions deviating from the given mean magnetic field. Thus, to explain certain observed features of the solar wind, it is not necessary to appeal to a mixture of Alfvenic and magnetosonic modes.     

Role of 3d-dispersive Alfven waves in coronal heating

Coronal heating is one of the unresolved puzzles in solar physics from decades. In the present paper we have investigated the dynamics of vortices to apprehend coronal heating problem. A three dimensional (3d) model has been developed to study propagation of dispersive Alfvén waves (DAWs) in presence of ion acoustic waves which results in excitation of DAW and evolution of vortices. Taking ponderomotive nonlinearity into account, development of these vortices has been studied. There are observations of such vortices in the chromosphere, transition region and also in the lower solar corona. These structures may play an important role in transferring energy from lower solar atmosphere to corona and result in coronal heating. Nonlinear interaction of these waves is studied in view of recent simulation work and observations of giant magnetic tornadoes in solar corona and lower atmosphere of sun by solar dynamical observatory (SDO).     

Ion-acoustic waves in dusty plasmas

The properties of ion-acoustic waves in steady-state, unmagnetized, dusty plasmas are analyzed using fluid equations. Two damping mechanisms are investigated. The “Tromsø damping” has been discussed in detail by researchers in Tromsø (Havnes et al., Phys. Scr.45, 491, 1992; Melandsø et al., J. geophys. Res.98, 13315, 1993) for dust-acoustic waves, and is related to the fact that a finite phase shift generally exists between the oscillation of the wave potential and the oscillation of the dust grains charge in the presence of the wave. The “creation damping” is due to the continuous injection of fresh ions into the plasma, to replace those which are lost to the dust grains. These fresh ions, produced by ionization of a neutral gas, do not share initially in the wave motion of the pre-existing ions, and thus lower the average momentum of the ion population.     

Reflection of Alfven waves and plasma turbulization in solar corona

The continuous reflection of Alfven waves in the coronae of the Sun and stars is considered. Based on the WKB approximation, the solution to the linear wave equation in the case of a stratified isothermal atmosphere has been obtained. A critical analysis of results obtained by Ferraro and Plumpton (1958) and Hollweg (1972), as well as the relations in the Elsasser variables has been carried out. It has been shown that Alfven disturbances do not undergo a continuous reflection within the accepted model and are transformed into intermediate-type modes that possess the properties of vibrations and travelling waves. The problem of the turbulization of corona plasma is discussed. The origin of the Alfven waves that propagate toward the Sun is related to the development of parametric instability.     

Electrostatic dust-cyclotron waves in plasmas with opposite polarity grains

The dispersion relation is derived for electrostatic dust-cyclotron (EDC) waves in a collisional plasma with dust grains having both positive and negative charges. The critical electric fields for excitation of two EDC modes in such a plasma are numerically calculated for a laboratory-type plasma.     

Dust ion acoustic (DIA) solitary waves in plasmas with weak relativistic effects in electrons and ions

In the new investigation of dust-ion acoustic (DIA) waves with negative dust charges and weakly relativistic ions and electrons in the plasma, compressive and rarefactive DIA solitons of interesting characters are established through the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. Eventually, the amplitudes of the compressive DIA solitons are found to be constant at some critical temperature ratio α _c (electron to ion temperature ratio) identifying some critical dust charge Z _dc . It is predicted, that the reception of dust charges by the plasma particles at the variation of temperature starts functioning to the growth of compressive soliton’s constant stage of amplitude after the state of critical α _c . The identification of critical dust charge (Z _dc ) which is found to be very great for solitons of constant amplitudes becomes feasible for very small dust to ion density ratio (σ). But it can be achieved, we observe, due to the relativistic increase in ion-density as in mass, which is also a salient feature of this investigation.     

Nonlinear wave conversion in electron-positron plasmas

Wave conversion mechanisms causing large-frequency shifts are considered for an electron-positron plasma in a strong magnetic field. In particular, we discuss the effects of the nonlinear erenkov as well as the cyclotron resonances in order to associate pulsar radio-emissions with our present model for nonlinear conversion of high-frequency radiation into the low-frequency region.     

Weakly relativistic solitary waves in multicomponent plasmas with electron inertia

Existence of compressive relativistic solitons is established in an arbitrary ξ-direction, inclining at an angle to the direction of the weak magnetic field (ω _pi ≫ω _Bi ) in this plasma compound with ions, relativistic electrons and relativistic electron beams. It is observed that the absolute linear growth of amplitudes of compressive solitons is due to inactive role of the weak magnetic field and the initial streaming speeds of relativistic electrons, electron beams, and Q _b (ion mass to electron beam mass). Besides, the small initial streaming of electrons is found to be responsible to generate relatively high amplitude compressive solitons. The non-relativistic ions in the background plasma, but in absence of electron-beam drift and in presence of weak magnetic field are the causing effect of interest for the smooth growth of soliton amplitudes in this model of plasma.     

Dust-ion acoustic waves modulation in dusty plasmas with nonextensive electrons

The nonlinear amplitude modulation of dust-ion acoustic wave (DIAW) is studied in the presence of nonextensive distributed electrons in dusty plasmas with stationary dust particles. Using the reductive perturbation method (RPM), the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) which governs the modulational instability (MI) of the DIAWs is obtained. Modulational instability regions and the growth rate of nonlinear waves are discussed. It is shown that the wave characters are affected by the value of nonextensive parameter and also relative density of plasma constituents.     

Decay instability of kinetic Alfvén waves in preflare plasmas of the loops in active solar regions

We examine the physical conditions for the origin of the decay instability of kinetic Alfvén waves in loop plasmas at the early flare stages. The synchronism conditions are used to derive a modified expression for the nonlinear growth rate of the process of the decay of the primary kinetic Alfvén wave (KAW) into an ion-acoustic wave and a secondary KAW. The threshold amplitude of the primary KAW is calculated in units of the background magnetic field strength in the chromospheric section of loop current circuit.     

Drift Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in space plasmas

We implement a complex-plane strategy and a multiple partition technique to the computation of polytropic models distorted by very strong and very rapid differential rotation. We also verify with our numerical results a heuristic relation between stability and virial theorem.