Related papers: From Weibel seeds to collisionless dynamos beyond …
The non-thermal particles escaping from collisionless shocks into the surrounding medium can trigger a non-resonant streaming instability that converts parts of their drift kinetic energy into large amplitude magnetic field perturbations,…
We describe a scenario for large-scale magnetic field generation and particle acceleration in a collisionless collision of cold plasma clouds. A first-principle (i.e. using particles) numerical simulation of this process might be possible.…
Two-dimensional fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations of an electrodeless plasma thruster, which uses a magnetic nozzle, were conducted to investigate the thrust generation induced by the internal plasma current. The results clearly…
We present first principles simulations of the direct collisionless coupling of the free energy of fusion-born ions into electron current in a magnetically confined fusion plasma. These simulations demonstrate, for the first time, a key…
Quantum simulation of 1D relativistic quantum mechanics has been achieved in well-controlled systems like trapped ions, but properties like spin dynamics and response to external magnetic fields that appear only in higher dimensions remain…
Using a hybrid kinetic magnetohydrodynamic formalism incorporating the effects of pressure anisotropy, we simulate the evolution of a turbulent collisionless plasma in six different models covering the sub/super-sonic and…
Previous studies of phase mixing of ion cyclotron (IC), Alfv\'enic, waves in the collisionless regime have established the generation of parallel electric field and hence acceleration of electrons in the regions of transverse density…
Plasma instabilities (e.g., Buneman, Weibel and other two-stream instabilities) created in collisionless shocks may be responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle…
We use 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations to study the effect of the saturated whistler instability on the viscous heating and nonthermal acceleration of electrons in a shearing, collisionless plasma with a growing magnetic field,…
We apply a Fourier spectral numerical method to 3D incompressible MHD turbulence with a magnetic Prandtl number $Pr \geq 1$. We examine the processes by which an initially weak, large-scale seed magnetic field and an initially weak,…
Magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters are amplified from a very weak seed value to the observed $\mu{\rm G}$ strengths by the turbulent dynamo. The seed magnetic field can be of primordial or astrophysical origin. The strength and…
This work describes the scientific basis and associated simulation results for the magnetization of an unmagnetized plasma via beat wave current drive. Two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations have been performed for a…
Understanding large scale magnetic field growth in turbulent plasmas in the magnetohydrodynamic limit is a goal of magnetic dynamo theory. In particular, assessing how well large scale helical field growth and saturation in simulations…
Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g.,Buneman, Weibel and other two-stream instabilities) created in collisionless shocks are responsible for particle…
We introduce a simplified model of the electron-beam/plasma system to model the electrical breakdown caused by the inductive electric field created by a rapidly rising electron beam current. The rigid-beam model is a reduction to the…
We identify a mechanism for magnetic field generation in the interaction of intense electromagnetic waves and underdense plasmas. We show that Raman scattered plasma waves trap and heat the electrons preferentially in their propagation…
This research was motivated by the recent observations indicating very strong magnetic fields at some supernova remnant shocks, which suggests in-situ generation of magnetic turbulence. The dissertation presents a numerical model of…
Turbulence in a conducting plasma can amplify seed magnetic fields in what is known as the turbulent, or small-scale, dynamo. The associated growth rate and emergent magnetic-field geometry depend sensitively on the material properties of…
In the absence of an initial seed, the Biermann battery term of a non-ideal induction equation acts as a source that generates weak magnetic fields. These fields are then amplified via a dynamo mechanism. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is…
The effects of the ion Larmor radius on magnetic reconnection are investigated by means of numerical simulations, with a Hamiltonian gyrofluid model. In the linear regime, it is found that ion diamagnetic effects decrease the growth rate of…