Fluid theory for quasistatic magnetic field generation in intense laser plasma interaction

Abstract

Based on the ten-moment Grad system of hydrodynamic equations, a self-consistent fluid model is presented for the generation of quasistatic magnetic fields in relativistic intense laser plasma interaction. In this model, the nondiagonal stress tensor is taken into account and the generalized vorticity is proved to be not conserved, which are different from previous ideal fluid models. In the quasistatic approximation, where the low-frequency phase speed vp is much smaller than the electron thermal speed vte, the axial magnetic field Bz and the azimuthal one Bθ are derived. It is found that the condition vp⪢vte used as the cold fluid approximation by previous papers is improper, where the derived Bz is incomplete and one magnetization current for Bz associated with the electron thermal motion does not appear. The profiles of both Bz and Bθ are analyzed. Their dependence on the laser intensity is discussed.