Related papers: Research Opportunities in Plasma Astrophysics
This review discusses the physics of magnetic reconnection, a process in which the magnetic field topology changes and magnetic energy is converted to kinetic energy, in pair plasmas in the relativistic regime. We focus on recent progress…
This White Paper outlines the importance of addressing the fundamental science theme <<How are charged particles energized in space plasmas>> through a future ESA mission. The White Paper presents five compelling science questions related…
In this White Paper, we emphasize the need for and the important role of plasma astrophysics in the studies of formation, evolution of, and feedback by Active Galaxies. We make three specific recommendations: 1) We need to significantly…
Magnetic reconnection is a primary driver of particle acceleration processes in space and astrophysical plasmas. Understanding how particles are accelerated and the resulting particle energy spectra is among the central topics in…
A grand-challenge problem at the forefront of physics is to understand how energy is transported and transformed in plasmas. This fundamental research priority encapsulates the conversion of plasma-flow and electromagnetic energies into…
As the Cosmology and Fundamental Physics (CFP) panel is fully aware, the next decade will see major advances in our understanding of these areas of research. To quote from their charge, these advances will occur in studies of the early…
Being the most extreme explosions in the universe, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) provide a unique laboratory to study various plasma physics phenomena. The complex lightcurve and broad-band, non-thermal spectra indicate a very complicated system…
Collisionless shocks, that is shocks mediated by electromagnetic processes, are customary in space physics and in astrophysics. They are to be found in a great variety of objects and environments: magnetospheric and heliospheric shocks,…
Magnetic reconnection occurs ubiquitously in the universe and is often invoked to explain fast energy release and particle acceleration in high-energy astrophysics. The study of relativistic magnetic reconnection in the magnetically…
Alongside magnetic reconnection, turbulence is another fundamental nonlinear plasma phenomenon that plays a key role in energy transport and conversion in space and astrophysical plasmas. From a numerical, theoretical, and observational…
Laser-plasma physics has developed rapidly over the past few decades as high-power lasers have become both increasingly powerful and more widely available. Early experimental and numerical research in this field was restricted to…
The growing need for a better understanding of nonlinear processes in plasma physics has in the last decades stimulated the development of new and more advanced data analysis techniques. This review lists some of the basic properties one…
Astrophysical fluids are turbulent, magnetized and frequently partially ionized. As an example of astrophysical turbulence, the interstellar turbulence extends over a remarkably large range of spatial scales and participates in key…
Magnetic reconnection -- a fundamental plasma physics process, where magnetic field lines of opposite polarity annihilate -- is invoked in astrophysical plasmas as a powerful mechanism of nonthermal particle acceleration, able to explain…
Of the many important topics that were discussed at the workshop, I summarize and comment on 25 presentations, which I found to be particularly interesting. They fall into all of the areas covered in the conference: basic plasma phenomena,…
This chapter contains a short discussion of some fundamental plasma phenomena. In section 2 we introduce key plasma properties like quasi-neutrality, shielding, particle transport processes and sheath formation. In section 3 we describe the…
This chapter reviews the recent progress made mainly during the last two decades on wave turbulence in magnetized plasmas (MHD, Hall MHD and electron MHD) in the incompressible and compressible cases. The emphasis is made on homogeneous and…
The past few years have seen dramatic breakthroughs and spectacular and puzzling discoveries in astrophysics and cosmology. In many cases, the new observations can only be explained with the introduction of new fundamental physics. Here we…
Observations and models of solar prominences are reviewed. We focus on non-eruptive prominences, and describe recent progress in four areas of prominence research: (1) magnetic structure deduced from observations and models, (2) the…
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process involving an exchange of magnetic energy to plasma kinetic energy through changes in the magnetic field topology. In many astrophysical plasmas magnetic reconnection plays a key role in…