Effect of electron pressure on debris-ambient coupling in a magnetized collisinless shock

Abstract

The effect of various electron pressure models on the debris-ambient coupling in a magnetized collisionless shock is demonstrated with a two-dimensional hybrid code. The simulation specifically models the regime of laboratory shocks launched by laser-ablation into a magnetized ambient plasma. A two-electron-fluid model is employed with different polytropic coefficients to vary electron temperature and pressure gradients and investigate their effect on the shock dynamics, the electric field, and the coupling between debris and ambient ions. The simulations show a significant variation of the radial electric field and ion dynamics with the polytropic index.