Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993jgr....9821313m&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 98, no. A12, p. 21,313-21,321
Physics
Plasma Physics
23
Electric Fields, Kinetic Theory, Kinetics, Magnetic Fields, Magnetohydrodynamic Stability, Plasma Physics, Plasma Waves, Anisotropy, Computerized Simulation, Ion Cyclotron Radiation, Magnetosheath, Mathematical Models
Scientific paper
Kinetic mechanisms for the growth and saturation of the mirror instability are described using one-dimensional hybrid simulations. Two parameter regimes are considered. In the first regime, a relatively small ion anisotropy excites a slowly growing instability that produces small-amplitude waves; most ions respond to the waves as an adiabatic fluid. In the second regime a large anisotropy excites a rapidly growing instability that generates large-amplitude waves; the response of many ions in this case is nonadiabatic. The difference in ion response is due to the relative importance of two ion populations, resonant and nonresonant. Resonant ions, those ions with low velocities parallel to the background magnetic field, contribute to the growth of the instability as a result of their gyrointeractions with the noncoplanar component of the waves electric field and respond to the mirror waves nonadiabatically. Nonreasonant ions, those with large parallel velocities, respond as an adiabatic fluid. In both regimes, ion anisotropy is reduced by means of the magnetic mirror force; in the second regime, the anisotropy reduction reduces the free energy available for wave growth and leads to the saturation of the mirror instability.
Gary Peter S.
McKean Michael E.
Winske Dan
No associations
LandOfFree
Kinetic physics of the mirror instability does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Kinetic physics of the mirror instability, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Kinetic physics of the mirror instability will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1300146