Kinetic equilibrium of nonlinear electromagnetic waves in electron-positron-ion magnetoplasmas

The problem of a one-dimensional, nonlinear, circularly polarized wave in a collisionless plasma is solved for the case in which the group velocity of the localized wave is zero relative to the plasma frame.For an electron-positron plasma the ponderomotive potential is repulsive, and both small and large amplitude waves in the presence of reflected and transmitted particles is discussed.The inclusion of an external magnetic field such that the cyclotron frequency is smaller than the wave frequency does not alter qualitatively the results of the fieldless case, except for the fact that an electrostatic potential is generated.For the case in which the cyclotron frequency is larger than the wave frequency, the resulting potential is attractive, and it is shown that no localized waves can coexist with confined and transmitted particles. If, however, an ionic component is presnt in the electron-positron plasma, such as may be the case in pulsar magnetospheres, localized waves may again be possible.     

Magneto-gravitational instability of a rotating and finitely-conducting fluid

The gravitational instability of an infinite homogeneous finitely conducting viscid fluid through porous medium is studied in the presence of a uniform vertical magnetic field and finite ion Larmor radius (FLR) effects. The medium is considered uniformly rotating along and perpendicular to the direction of the prevalent magnetic field. A general dispersion relation is obtained from the relevant linearized perturbation equations of the problem. Furthermore, the wave propagation along and perpendicular to the direction of existing magnetic field has been discussed for each direction of the rotation. It is found that the simultaneous presence of viscosity finite conductivity, rotation, medium porosity, and FLR corrections does not essentially change the Jeans's instability condition. The stabilizing influence of FLR in the case of transverse propagation is reasserted for a non-rotating and inviscid porous medium. It is shown that the finite conductivity has destabilizing influence on the transverse wave propagation whereas for longitudinal propagation finite conductivity does not affect the Jean's criterion.     

Flare-produced coronal MHD-fast-mode wavefronts and Moreton's wave phenomenon

The propagation characteristics of MHD fast-mode disturbances, which can emanate from flare regions, are computed for realistic conditions of the solar corona at the times of particular flares. The path of a fast-mode disturbance is determined by the large-scale (global) coronal distributions of magnetic field and density, and can be computed by a general raytracing procedure (eikonal equation) adapted to MHD. We use the coronal (electron) density distribution calculated from daily K-coronameter data, and the coronal magnetic field calculated under the current-free approximation from magnetograph measurements of the photospheric magnetic field. We compare the path and time-development of an MHD fast-mode wavefront emitted from the flare region (as calculated from a realistic model corona for the day of the observed Moreton wave event) with actual observations of the Moreton wave event, and find that the Moreton wave can be identified with the rapidly moving intersection of the coronal fast-mode wavefront and the chromosphere (as hypothesized in our previous paper); the directivity (anisotropic propagation), as well as other characteristics of the propagation of the Moreton wave can be successfully explained.sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Propagation of Leaky MHD Waves at Discontinuities with Tilted Magnetic Field

We investigate the characteristics of magneto-acoustic surface waves propagating at a single density interface, in the presence of an inclined magnetic field. For linear wave propagation, the dispersion relation is obtained and analytical solutions are derived for small inclination angle. The inclination of the field renders the frequency of the waves complex, where the imaginary part describes wave attenuation, due to lateral energy leakage.     

Resonant oscillations in sunspot umbrae

The Uchida and Sakurai (1975), Thomas and Scheuer (1982), and Scheuer and Thomas (1981) theory of umbral oscillations as resonant modes of magneto-acoustic-gravity waves is re-examined. For an isothermal atmosphere it is found that the quasi-Alfvén approximation is not a good approximation to the complete linearized wave equations. The new results presented here show that 3 min umbral oscillation periods are fairly insensitive to magnetic field strength above some critical value. For a detailed model umbra (Thomas and Scheuer, 1982) the calculations presented here show that 3 min umbral oscillations do not depend to any great extent on the level of forcing of the oscillations for those magnetic field strengths which are observed in sunspot umbras. Modes outside the 3 min range appear, as the lowest mode, as the level of forcing is placed at deeper and deeper levels in the solar atmosphere.     

Magnetoacoustic oscillations in spatially periodic solar coronal structures

This paper is concerned with the propagation properties of the magnetoacoustic wave across the magnetic field embedded in plasma whose density varies periodically along the propagation direction. Such spatial structures are arcades of solar post-flare coronal loops. The model problem of wave propagation along the arcade implies analyzing the dispersion properties of the Hill equation. Oscillations in the range of seconds are the response of the arcade to an impulsive disturbance.     

Jovian magnetospheric ion cyclotron instability in the presence of parallel electric field

A dispersion relation for left hand circularly polarized electromagnetic wave propagation in an anisotropic magnetoplasma in the presence of a very weak parallel electrostatic field has been derived with the help of linearized Vlasov and Maxwell equations. An expression of the growth rate has been derived in presence of parallel electric field for ion-cyclotron electromagnetic wave in an anisotropic media. The modification made in the growth rate by introducing parallel electric field and temperature anisotropy has been studied for fully ionized hydrogen plasma with the help of observations made on Jovian ionosphere and magnetosphere atL = 5.6 R_j. It is concluded that the growth (damping) of ion-cyclotron electromagnetic wave is possible when the wave vector is parallel (antiparallel) to the static electric field and effect is more pronounced at higher wave number.     

Tidal dissipation in rotating fluid bodies: a simplified model

We study the tidal forcing, propagation and dissipation of linear inertial waves in a rotating fluid body. The intentionally simplified model involves a perfectly rigid core surrounded by a deep ocean consisting of a homogeneous incompressible fluid. Centrifugal effects are neglected, but the Coriolis force is considered in full, and dissipation occurs through viscous or frictional forces. The dissipation rate exhibits a complicated dependence on the tidal frequency and generally increases with the size of the core. In certain intervals of frequency, efficient dissipation is found to occur even for very small values of the coefficient of viscosity or friction. We discuss the results with reference to wave attractors, critical latitudes and other features of the propagation of inertial waves within the fluid, and comment on their relevance for tidal dissipation in planets and stars.     

Parallel electric field-induced instability in the magnetospheric ion-electron plasma

A complete dispersion relation for a whistler mode wave propagation in an anisotropic warm ion-electron magnetoplasma in the presence of parallel electric field using the dispersion relation for a circularly polarized wave has been derived. The dispersion relation includes the effect of anisotropy for the ion and electron velocity distribution functions. The growth rate of electron-ion cyclotron waves for different plasma parameters observed atL = 6.6R _E has been computed and the results have been discussed in detail in the light of the observed features of VLF emissions and whistlers. The role of the combination of ion-cyclotron and whistler mode electromagnetic wave propagation along the magnetic field in an anisotropic Maxwellian weakly-ionized magnetoplasma has been studied.     

The excitation, propagation and dissipation of waves in accretion discs: the non-linear axisymmetric case

We analyse the non-linear propagation and dissipation of axisymmetric waves in accretion discs using the ZEUS-2D hydrodynamics code. The waves are numerically resolved in the vertical and radial directions. Both vertically isothermal and thermally stratified accretion discs are considered. The waves are generated by means of resonant forcing, and several forms of forcing are considered. Compressional motions are taken to be locally adiabatic  ( γ =5/3)  . Prior to non-linear dissipation, the numerical results are in excellent agreement with the linear theory of wave channelling in predicting the types of modes that are excited, the energy flux by carried by each mode, and the vertical wave energy distribution as a function of radius. In all cases, waves are excited that propagate on both sides of the resonance (inwards and outwards). For vertically isothermal discs, non-linear dissipation occurs primarily through shocks that result from the classical steepening of acoustic waves. For discs that are substantially thermally stratified, wave channelling is the primary mechanism for shock generation. Wave channelling boosts the Mach number of the wave by vertically confining the wave to a small cool region at the base of the disc atmosphere. In general, outwardly propagating waves with Mach numbers near resonance  ℳ_r≳0.01  undergo shocks within a distance of order the resonance radius.     

A variational principle for wave propagation in random media

We set up a variational integral appropriate for discussing the ‘eigenvalues’ of theexact probability equation describing wave propagation in a turbulent medium. We demonstrate that:

1. Extremal variations of the integral with respect to an adjoint probability field gives the probability equation (which is not self-adjoint) relevant to wave propagation in the random medium.
2. Extremal variations of the integral with respect to the probability field gives the adjoint probability equations.
3. Extremal variations of the integral with respect to trial functions for both the probability field and its adjoint gives a variational principle for calculating the normal mode eigenvalues describing wave propagation in the turbulent medium.

We illustrate the power, and accuracy, of the variational approach by several illustrative examples.     

Comments on the proton whistler generation process

The problem of the propagation of an electromagnetic wave originating for instance in a lightning flash through the ionospheric medium is analysed in order to understand the formation at high ionospheric altitudes of the so-called proton whistler. It is shown that the accessibility of the hydrodynamic (or kinetic) proton resonance at the satellite altitude requires that a mode conversion process must take place slightly above the transition region separating the one ion (O⁺) from the two ion (O⁺ + H⁺) component plasmas. Moreover, the transformation conditions in the wave conversion region imply that the magnetic field should be (almost) perpendicular to the density gradient. Otherwise, the incident electromagnetic wave will never reach the satellite altitude in the frequency range of the proton whistler. However, some former proton whistler theories have postulated that the signal is the result of simple ionospheric propagation effects, in contradiction with the above results. These former proton whistler theories are reviewed and it is shown that the basic flaw in these theories lies in that the incident electromagnetic wave has been supposed from the beginning to have reached the high ionospheric altitudes where is located the satellite without being influenced by the lower ionospheric layers. Some various aspects, like the high variability of the wave electric to magnetic field ratio and the harmonics bands as observed by Injun are analysed in the light of the obtained results. Finally, numerical solutions of the wave dispersion relation for both the fast hydrodynamic mode (the extraordinary mode) and the slow ion kinetic mode are presented which shows that a coupling process between the two modes may take place at various frequencies between the O⁺ and the H⁺ gyrofrequencies.     

On the properties of magnetoacoustic surface waves

The nature of magnetoacoustic surface waves at a single magnetic interface, one side of which is field-free, is explored for the case of parallel propagation. The interface may support a slow surface wave or both slow and fast surface waves, depending upon the ordering of the sound speeds in the two media. Phase-speeds and penetration depths of the waves and the associated pressure perturbations and motions are investigated for a variety of field strengths and sound speeds. The fast wave disturbs the interface more than the slow wave. In the magnetic field region the slow wave is mainly longitudinal in nature whilst the fast surface wave is transverse for strong fields, longitudinal for weaker fields. In the field-free region both waves are longitudinal in character. The running penumbral wave phenomenon may provide an example of a magnetoacoustic surface mode, though any direct comparison requires the inclusion of gravitational effects.     

An explosion with cylindrical symmetry in magnetogasdynamics

The propagation of magnetogasdynamic cylindrical shock waves in an exponentially increasing medium including the effects of the azimuthal magnetic field, is investigated. The shock wave moves with variable velocity and the total energy of the wave is variable. It is shown that the magnetic field has its significant effect on the pressure flow velocity and the inner expanding vacuum region.     

Jovian seismology

Standing acoustic waves, with periods between about 4.5 and 9 min, may be trapped in a wave duct beneath Jupiter's tropopause. Detection of these oscillations by observations of Doppler shifting of infrared and ultraviolet absorption lines would offer a new important method for probing the giant planet's deep atmosphere and interior. Information would be revealed on Jupiter's thermal and density structure and the depth to which its zonal winds penetrate. Standing oscillations in the molecular hydrogen envelope are modeled and their theoretical eigenfrequencies are presented as they might appear in actual data analysis. Several forcing functions for wave generation are considered. These include coupling with turbulent and convective motions, thermal overstability due to radiative transfer, effects of wave propagation in a saturated atmosphere, and consequences of ortho- to parahydrogen conversion. Altjough the forcing mechanisms couple well with the acoustic waves, allowing for possible maintenance of the oscillations, the contribution they make to velocity amplitudes is very small, between 1.0 and 0.1 m sec⁻¹. This implies that the Doppler shifting caused by the waves may be unresolvable except, perhaps, by methods of superposing time records of oscillations to enhance acoustic signals and diminish random noise.     

Magnetogravitational instability of a finitely-conducting medium with variable streaming motion

A discussion of gravitational instability of a finitely conducting medium with streams of variable velocity distribution is made in the presence of a uniform magnetic field. It is found that the variable streaming motion shows a destabilizing effect and affects the instability criterion only in the case of general wave propagation. For purely parallel propagation to the direction of the magnetic field and the streaming motion, the criterion is independent of the variation in the streaming motion and further the Jeans's criterion is found to remain unaffected in this case. For purely transverse propagation, the criterion is independent of any streaming motion and the Jeans's criterion remains unaffected. The criterion is further independent of the magnetic field and the finite conductivity except in the case of transverse propagation where the magnetic field exhibits a stabilizing influence in case of an infinitely conducting medium.     

Propagation of magnetogasdynamic spherical shock waves in an exponential medium

In this paper propagation of magnetogasdynamic spherical shock waves is considered in an exponentially increasing medium. The shock wave moves with variable velocity and the total energy of the wave is variable. It is shown that the magnetic field changes the flow velocity, density and pressure.     

A formulation of non-ideal localized (or ballooning) modes in the solar corona

The stability equations for localized (or ballooning) modes in the solar atmosphere are formulated. Dissipation due to viscosity, resistivity, and thermal conduction are included using the general forms due to Braginskii (1965). In addition, the effect of gravity, plasma radiation, and coronal heating are included. The resulting equations are one-dimensional and only involve derivatives along the equilibrium magnetic field. Thus, the stabilising influence of photospheric line-tying, which is normally neglected in most numerical simulations, can be studied in a simple manner. Two applications to sound wave propagation and thermal instabilities in a low-beta plasma are considered with a view to determining realistic coronal boundary conditions that model the lower, denser levels of the solar atmosphere in a simple manner.Research Assistant of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research.