Abstract
A comparison of full kinetic and hybrid simulations for Te/Ti> 1, where Te(Ti) is the electron (ion) temperature, indicates that contact discontinuities cannot persist in collisionless plasmas. A simple analysis suggests that the potential barrier to ion mass and thermal transport identified by Wu et al. [1994] in their hybrid calculations can preserve the contact discontinuity if the contributions of electron thermal transport are small. When Te/Ti> 1, electron energy transport in kinetic calculations results in large potentials which reduce the effectiveness of the potential barrier. Thus, contact discontinuities are unlikely to be observed in spacecraft observations.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
