Non-adiabatic motion of charged particles traversing a weak magnetic field: Pitch angle scattering

Details Non-adiabatic motion of charged particles traversing a weak magnetic field: Pitch angle scattering Non-adiabatic motion of charged particles traversing a weak magnetic field: Pitch angle scattering

Dec 1964

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1964papge..59..100c&link_type=abstract

Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH, Volume 59, Issue 1, pp.100-122

Physics

Geophysics

1

Scientific paper

A charged particle moves with velocity v in a constant non-uniform magnetic field H, spiralling with Larmor radius R. If R is small compared with the scale length L of the field, the magnetic moment associated with the Larmor motion of the particle is nearly constant. Consequently θ, the (‘pitch’) angle between v and H, varies as arcsin H 1/2. Hence θ in such adiabatic motion is approximately the same at points on the path where H has the same value. But the magnetic moment and the pitch angle may differ materially at two such points, each in the region where R/L is small, if between them the particle traverses a region where R/L is not small. This region of non-adiabatic motion ‘scatters’ the pitch angles. Such scattering is investigated for regions of weak field ( R large), with and without the presence of a neutral line along which H=0. Either type of region, it is found, can scatter the pitch angles. This gives support to the theory proposed by Akasofu and Chapman to explain why auroral arcs and bands are very thin. The scattering here examined is of interest also in connection with magnetic mirror devices for nuclear energy transformation. It may also have applications to phenomena of solar and stellar atmospheres.

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