Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics

A theory for nonlinear evolution of the mirror modes near the instability threshold is developed. It is shown that during initial stage the major instability saturation is provided by the flattening of the velocity distribution function in the vicinity of small parallel ion velocities. The relax...

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Main Authors: O. A. Pokhotelov, R. Z. Sagdeev, M. A. Balikhin, V. N. Fedun, G. I. Dudnikova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2010-12-01
Series:Annales Geophysicae
Online Access:https://www.ann-geophys.net/28/2161/2010/angeo-28-2161-2010.pdf
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author O. A. Pokhotelov
R. Z. Sagdeev
M. A. Balikhin
V. N. Fedun
G. I. Dudnikova
author_facet O. A. Pokhotelov
R. Z. Sagdeev
M. A. Balikhin
V. N. Fedun
G. I. Dudnikova
author_sort O. A. Pokhotelov
collection DOAJ
description A theory for nonlinear evolution of the mirror modes near the instability threshold is developed. It is shown that during initial stage the major instability saturation is provided by the flattening of the velocity distribution function in the vicinity of small parallel ion velocities. The relaxation scenario in this case is accompanied by rapid attenuation of resonant particle interaction which is replaced by a weaker adiabatic interaction with mirror modes. The saturated plasma state can be considered as a magnetic counterpart to electrostatic BGK modes. After quasi-linear saturation a further nonlinear scenario is controlled by the mode coupling effects and nonlinear variation of the ion Larmor radius. Our analytical model is verified by relevant numerical simulations. Test particle and PIC simulations indeed show that it is a modification of distribution function at small parallel velocities that results in fading away of free energy driving the mirror mode. The similarity with resonant Weibel instability is discussed.
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spelling doaj.art-25bf89a0a32840fc96009bd1010522522022-12-21T18:57:36ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05762010-12-01282161216710.5194/angeo-28-2161-2010Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamicsO. A. Pokhotelov0R. Z. Sagdeev1M. A. Balikhin2V. N. Fedun3G. I. Dudnikova4Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USAAutomatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UKDepartment of Applied Mathematics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USAA theory for nonlinear evolution of the mirror modes near the instability threshold is developed. It is shown that during initial stage the major instability saturation is provided by the flattening of the velocity distribution function in the vicinity of small parallel ion velocities. The relaxation scenario in this case is accompanied by rapid attenuation of resonant particle interaction which is replaced by a weaker adiabatic interaction with mirror modes. The saturated plasma state can be considered as a magnetic counterpart to electrostatic BGK modes. After quasi-linear saturation a further nonlinear scenario is controlled by the mode coupling effects and nonlinear variation of the ion Larmor radius. Our analytical model is verified by relevant numerical simulations. Test particle and PIC simulations indeed show that it is a modification of distribution function at small parallel velocities that results in fading away of free energy driving the mirror mode. The similarity with resonant Weibel instability is discussed.https://www.ann-geophys.net/28/2161/2010/angeo-28-2161-2010.pdf
spellingShingle O. A. Pokhotelov
R. Z. Sagdeev
M. A. Balikhin
V. N. Fedun
G. I. Dudnikova
Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics
Annales Geophysicae
title Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics
title_full Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics
title_fullStr Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics
title_full_unstemmed Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics
title_short Nonlinear Mirror and Weibel modes: peculiarities of quasi-linear dynamics
title_sort nonlinear mirror and weibel modes peculiarities of quasi linear dynamics
url https://www.ann-geophys.net/28/2161/2010/angeo-28-2161-2010.pdf
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