Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma

Measurement of an internal azimuthal plasma current in a collisionless low β plasma expanding in a magnetic nozzle is presented. The electric field is removed from the plasma ensuring a negligible electron E×B drift resulting in a purely diamagnetic electron azimuthal current. The electron energy pr...

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Main Authors: Kazunori Takahashi, Christine Charles, Rod W. Boswell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2023-05-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L022029
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author Kazunori Takahashi
Christine Charles
Rod W. Boswell
author_facet Kazunori Takahashi
Christine Charles
Rod W. Boswell
author_sort Kazunori Takahashi
collection DOAJ
description Measurement of an internal azimuthal plasma current in a collisionless low β plasma expanding in a magnetic nozzle is presented. The electric field is removed from the plasma ensuring a negligible electron E×B drift resulting in a purely diamagnetic electron azimuthal current. The electron energy probability function is non-Maxwellian, having an energetic tail component in addition to the thermal bulk electrons. The measured azimuthal current is significantly larger than the electron diamagnetic current estimated by considering only the bulk electrons. This can be well explained by considering the energetic tail electrons, which have a density of only about five percent of the total density. These results experimentally demonstrate that the energetic tail electrons are major contributors to the diamagnetism of the plasma even if their density is a small fraction of the total electron density.
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spelling doaj.art-0000dcb51e8740b895c294a4da2dac582024-04-12T17:30:48ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642023-05-0152L02202910.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L022029Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasmaKazunori TakahashiChristine CharlesRod W. BoswellMeasurement of an internal azimuthal plasma current in a collisionless low β plasma expanding in a magnetic nozzle is presented. The electric field is removed from the plasma ensuring a negligible electron E×B drift resulting in a purely diamagnetic electron azimuthal current. The electron energy probability function is non-Maxwellian, having an energetic tail component in addition to the thermal bulk electrons. The measured azimuthal current is significantly larger than the electron diamagnetic current estimated by considering only the bulk electrons. This can be well explained by considering the energetic tail electrons, which have a density of only about five percent of the total density. These results experimentally demonstrate that the energetic tail electrons are major contributors to the diamagnetism of the plasma even if their density is a small fraction of the total electron density.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L022029
spellingShingle Kazunori Takahashi
Christine Charles
Rod W. Boswell
Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
Physical Review Research
title Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
title_full Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
title_fullStr Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
title_full_unstemmed Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
title_short Enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
title_sort enhanced diamagnetism by energetic tail electrons in a magnetized plasma
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L022029
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