Plasma Pressure Gradient Research Articles

Simulations of the Characteristics of the Entropy Mode in Dipole-Magnetic-Confined Plasmas.

Plasmas confined in a dipole magnetic field widely exist in both space and laboratories, and this kind of plasma draws much attention from researchers both in plasma physics and in space science. In this paper, the characteristics of the collisionless electrostatic instability of the entropy mode in a dipole-magnetic-confined plasma are simulated with the linear gyrokinetic model. It is found that the entropy mode can be generated in dipole-magnetic-confined plasmas, and there are two typical stages of the entropy mode, with another transitional stage at different values of η. The main instability changes from the ion diamagnetic drift to the electronic diamagnetic drift as η becomes larger. In addition, the MHD mode predicts that the most stable point is at η~2/3 when k⟂ρi << 1. However, we find that η and k⟂ρi are coupled with each other, and the most stable point of the mode moves gradually to η~1 as k⟂ρi increases. There is a peak value for the entropy mode growth rate around k⟂ρi~1.0, and more complicated modes are induced so that the dispersion relation has been changed when the driving force of the plasma pressure gradient effect is obvious. For example, the characteristics of the interchange-like modes gradually emerge when the driving effect of the plasma pressure becomes stronger. Further investigations should be taken to reveal the characteristics of the entropy mode in magnetospheric plasmas.

Simulation study of interaction between energetic particles and magnetohydrodynamic modes in the JT-60SA inductive scenario with a flat q≈1 profile

Interactions between energetic particles (EPs), an internal kink mode, and other magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities in the inductive scenario of JT-60SA (scenario # 2) are simulated with MEGA, a global EP–MHD hybrid code. For this scenario, it was predicted by TOPICS, an integrated transport code that the internal kink mode can be unstable and the sawtooth relaxation results in a flat safety factor (q) profile with q ≈ 1 for r/a⩽0.6 . In this equilibrium, it is found in the simulation results that the stability of the internal kink mode depends strongly on the bulk plasma pressure gradient ( ∇Pb ). In the n = 1 simulations where the toroidal mode number is restricted to n = 0 and 1, the pressure-driven internal kink mode is dominant. In the presence of co-passing EPs generated by the negative-ion-based neutral beam (NB), these EPs transfer energy to the internal kink mode; however, the EP driving rate ( γh ) is much lower than the driving rate from the bulk plasma pressure gradient ( γP ). The mode’s frequency is less than 1 kHz because the toroidal orbit frequency (ω φ ) and poloidal orbit frequency (ω θ ) of the co-passing EPs are approximately equal within the q = 1 surfaces. This mode affects the EP and bulk plasma pressure redistributions. The feasibility of stabilizing the internal kink mode using trapped EPs is also investigated. It is found that the trapped EPs with energy 85 keV generated by the positive-ion-based NBs cannot stabilize the internal kink mode. Stabilization is observed when the injection energy is greater than 500 keV. In the multi-n simulations, where n⩽8 modes are retained, the most unstable modes are high n interchange modes with poloidal number m = n whose linear growth rates exceed that of the pressure-driven internal kink mode observed in the n = 1 simulations. The overlapping of these modes creates a stochastic magnetic field, leading to stronger EP and bulk plasma pressure redistributions than those observed in the n = 1 simulations. During the nonlinear phase, the transition from the high m = n modes to the low m = n modes is observed where the dominant mode is the m/n=1/1 mode with an internal kink-like structure. These low m = n modes are generated by the nonlinear coupling of the high m = n modes. The EP kinetic effect has a minor contribution to the dynamics of these nonlinearly generated m = n modes.

Comparison of momentum transport in matched hydrogen and deuterium H-mode plasmas in ASDEX Upgrade

Advanced momentum transport analysis is used to study matched hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) plasmas in the core of ASDEX Upgrade. The aim is to validate gyrokinetic theory and assess a possible isotope dependence. The methodology extracts momentum diffusion, convection, and intrinsic torque as a function of time from experiments employing neutral beam injection (NBI) modulation. H and D plasma scenarios with comparable ion heat fluxes, NBI torque, electron densities, and several dimensionless parameters were designed to highlight any mass dependency. Linear gyrokinetic simulations predict that, for similar background gradients, the Prandtl and pinch numbers should be similar for H and D. This was confirmed by the experimental momentum transport analyses. The assessed intrinsic torques were found to be similar between H and D, co-current directed and located near the outermost region of the plasma core. The strength of the intrinsic torque is correlated with the amplitude of the plasma pressure gradient in the pedestal. Finally, a robust error analysis demonstrates the uniqueness of the parameters obtained together with their uncertainties. Neglecting the intrinsic torque, or its time dependence, systematically distorts the assessed momentum diffusion and convection. This is the first method to separate all three transport mechanisms from experimental data by retaining their time dependencies, that is found to match, quantitatively, the gyrokinetic predictions for Prandtl and pinch numbers, within experimental uncertainties.

On the Relationship Between Regions of Large‐Scale Field‐Aligned Currents and Regions of Plateau in Plasma Pressure Observed in the Equatorial Plane of the Earth's Magnetosphere

AbstractSince the discovery of the large‐scale field‐aligned currents it is widely acknowledged that gaps exist between the Region 1 (R1) and Region 2 (R2) currents in which the current values are relatively small as compared to neighboring regions. Assuming that the field‐aligned currents are generated by plasma pressure gradients, we analyzed data collected by the THEMIS satellites between 2007 and 2011 to identify regions with very low plasma pressure gradients (pressure plateaus), which could be responsible for the appearance of these gaps. It was found that the pressure profiles with low radial gradients are typically located between 8 and 10 Radii around the Earth. Projections of pressure plateau regions onto ionospheric altitudes, for both individual events and on a statistical basis, coincide with the locations of gaps between Iijima and Potemra field‐aligned currents. The role played by identified pressure plateaus in shaping the pattern of large‐scale field‐aligned currents is discussed.

Kinetic simulations of the filamentation instability in pair plasmas

ABSTRACT The non-linear interaction between electromagnetic waves and plasmas attracts significant attention in astrophysics because it can affect the propagation of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) – luminous millisecond-duration pulses detected at radio frequency. The filamentation instability (FI) – a type of non-linear wave–plasma interaction – is considered to be dominant near FRB sources, and its non-linear development may also affect the inferred dispersion measure of FRBs. In this paper, we carry out fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations of the FI in unmagnetized pair plasmas. Our simulations show that the FI generates transverse density filaments, and that the electromagnetic wave propagates in near vacuum between them, as in a waveguide. The density filaments keep merging until force balance between the wave ponderomotive force and the plasma pressure gradient is established. We estimate the merging time-scale and discuss the implications of filament merging for FRB observations.

Nonlinear second order electromagnetic gyrokinetic theory for a tokamak plasma

The steep plasma pressure gradient that forms at the edge of the high confinement, H-mode regime of tokamak operation provides free energy to drive electromagnetic micro-instabilities that are widely believed to influence the transport processes in this so-called pedestal region. This high pressure gradient also provides a high current density (bootstrap current), known to influence ballooning mode stability and to be important for driving kink modes in the ideal magneto-hydrodynamic plasma model (so-called peeling-ballooning modes). Furthermore, efficient, steady state future tokamak power plants must operate with a large bootstrap current in the core and especially concerning spherical tokamaks, confinement will be influenced by electromagnetic turbulence. To accommodate these important situations, conventional electromagnetic gyrokinetic theory is extended to incorporate neoclassical effects in the equilibrium drives, allowing (B 0 is the confining magnetic field, and B ϑ is its poloidal component). This provides a global gyrokinetic model that self-consistently captures the consequences of large bootstrap current fractions on the equilibrium distribution functions.

Generation of Field‐Aligned Currents During Substorm Expansion: An Update

AbstractWe investigated generation processes of field‐aligned currents (FACs) that are abruptly intensified at the beginning of the substorm expansion phase by tracing a packet of the Alfvén wave backward in time from the onset position in the ionosphere in the global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation. The generation region is found in the near‐Earth plasma sheet, in which (a) azimuthally moving plasma pulls the magnetic field line, and performs negative work against the magnetic tension force to excite the Alfvén waves, (b) FACs are generated from the requirement of Ampère and Faraday laws, and (c) field‐perpendicular current is converted to FACs. We call this near‐Earth FAC dynamo. The plasma involved originates in the tail lobe region. When near‐Earth reconnection occurs in the plasma sheet, the plasma is accelerated earthward by the Lorentz force, and decelerated by the plasma pressure gradient force, followed by the Lorentz force. The flow is deflected to the west and east directions by the plasma pressure gradient force and the Lorentz force, resulting in the excitation of Alfvén waves and FACs. The Alfvén waves propagate along the magnetic field in the rest frame of the moving plasma. When it arrives at the ionosphere, the auroral electrojet starts developing and the substorm expansion phase begins. The near‐Earth FAC dynamo can be distinguished from the near‐Earth dynamo (J · E &lt; 0, where J is the current density and E is the electric field). We suggest that the evolution of the substorm can be understood in terms of the development of FACs.

Main features of magnetospheric dynamics in the conditions of pressure balance

We analyzed the applicability of a hydrodynamic approach to the analysis of large-scale magnetospheric dynamics in the conditions of quiet geomagnetic activity. The main parameter, determining the applicability of the ideal MHD, is the ratio between the Alfvén and plasma velocities. We obtained the 2D distribution of this parameter using data of the THEMIS mission at geocentric distances <20 RE, and showed that not only the ring current region can be described suggesting full pressure balance. The external part of the ring current, which is localized in the surrounding the Earth plasma ring and earlier considered as a plasma sheet continuation, can be regarded as a stress balance region as well. Azimuthal plasma pressure gradients in this region create a system of large-scale field-aligned currents. Their closing in the ionosphere generates a large-scale convection in the ionosphere and magnetosphere. The mechanism of the large-scale convection control due to “penetration” of large-scale solar wind magnetic field is discussed. We discuss the role of turbulent transport in the analysis of magnetospheric regions, in which high level of turbulence is observed simultaneously with large-scale stress balance.

Numerical analysis of the spatial structure of Alfvén waves in a finite pressure plasma in a dipole magnetosphere

We have carried out a numerical analysis of the spatial structure of Alfvén waves in a finite pressure inhomogeneous plasma in a dipole model of the magnetosphere. We have considered three magnetosphere models differing in maximum plasma pressure and pressure gradient. The problem of wave eigenfrequencies was addressed. We have established that the poloidal frequency can be either greater or less than the toroidal frequency, depending on plasma pressure and its gradient. The problem of radial wave vector component eigenvalues was considered. We have found points of Alfvén wave reflection in various magnetosphere models. The wave propagation region in the cold plasma model is shown to be significantly narrower than that in models with finite plasma pressure. We have investigated the structure of the main Alfvén wave harmonic when its polarization changes in three magnetosphere models. A numerical study into the effect of plasma pressure on the structure of behavior of all Alfvén wave electric and magnetic field components has been carried out. We have established that for certain parameters of the magnetosphere model the magnetic field can have three nodes, whereas in the cold plasma model there is only one. Moreover, the longitudinal magnetic field component changes sign twice along the magnetic field line.

Численный анализ пространственной структуры альфвеновских волн в плазме конечного давления в дипольной магнитосфере

We have carried out a numerical analysis of the spatial structure of Alfvén waves in a finite pressure inhomogeneous plasma in a dipole model of the magnetosphere. We have considered three magnetosphere models differing in maximum plasma pressure and pressure gradient. The problem of wave eigenfrequencies was addressed. We have established that the poloidal frequency can be either greater or less than the toroidal frequency, depending on plasma pressure and its gradient. The problem of radial wave vector component eigenvalues was considered. We have found points of Alfvén wave reflection in various magnetosphere models. The wave propagation region in the cold plasma model is shown to be significantly narrower than that in models with finite plasma pressure. We have investigated the structure of the main Alfvén wave harmonic when its polarization changes in three magnetosphere models. A numerical study into the effect of plasma pressure on the structure of behavior of all Alfvén wave electric and magnetic field components has been carried out. We have established that for certain parameters of the magnetosphere model the magnetic field can have three nodes, whereas in the cold plasma model there is only one. Moreover, the longitudinal magnetic field component changes sign twice along the magnetic field line.

An Eastward Current Encircling Mercury

AbstractMercury has a terrestrial‐like magnetosphere which is usually taken as a scaled‐down‐version of Earth's magnetosphere with a similar current system. We examine Mercury's magnetospheric current system based on a survey of Mercury's magnetic field measured by the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft as well as computer simulations. We show that there is no significant Earth‐like ring current flowing westward around Mercury, instead, we find, for the first time, an eastward current (EC) encircling the planet near the night‐side magnetic equator with an altitude of ∼500–1,000 km. The EC is closed with the dayside magnetopause current and could be driven by the gradient of plasma pressure as a diamagnetic current. Thus, Mercury's magnetosphere is not a scaled‐down Earth magnetosphere, but a unique natural space plasma laboratory. Our findings offer fresh insights to analyze data from the BepiColombo mission, which is expected to orbit Mercury in 2025.

Topside Plasma Flows in the Equatorial Ionosphere and Their Relationships to F‐Region Winds Near 250 km

AbstractSimultaneous measurements of F‐region neutral winds near 250 km and topside field‐aligned interhemispheric plasma flow near 600 km, made by the ionospheric connections satellite, allow the connection between these parameters to be observationally established for the first time. The largest variations in the topside plasma flows are seen as a function of season and are shown to depend on trans‐equatorial neutral winds near the F peak in a manner that is essentially the same during the daytime and the nighttime for the solar minimum conditions that prevail in 2020. This finding is consistent with established principles of a servo model of the ionosphere for which both production and loss rates in the topside are specified by the O/N2 ratio at the F‐peak height. The intermediate relationships, describing how the neutral wind influences the F‐peak height and how the O+ plasma pressure gradient across the equator influences the interhemispheric plasma flow are also investigated and found to be consistent with expectations.

Configuration of Magnetotail Current Sheet Prior to Magnetic Reconnection Onset

AbstractThe magnetotail current sheet configuration determines magnetic reconnection properties that control the substorm onset, one of the most energetic phenomena in the Earth’s magnetosphere. The quiet‐time current sheet is often approximated as a two‐dimensional (2D) magnetic field configuration balanced by isotropic plasma pressure gradients. However, reconnection onset is preceded by the current sheet thinning and the formation of a nearly one‐dimensional (1D) magnetic field configuration. In this study, using particle‐in‐cell simulations, we investigate the force balance of such thin current sheets when they are driven by plasma inflow. We demonstrate that the magnetic field configuration transitions from 2D to 1D thanks to the formation of plasma pressure nongyrotropy and reveal its origin in the nongyrotropic terms of the ion distributions. We show that substorm onset may be controlled by the instability and dynamics of such nongyrotropic current sheets, having properties much different from the most commonly investigated 2D isotropic configuration.

Global kinetic-MHD simulations of downward-sweeping reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamak plasmas

Hybrid simulations are performed to investigate the dependence of downward-sweeping reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes (RSAEs) on key parameters in tokamaks. The investigation mainly focuses on downsweeping RSAEs with toroidal number n = 3. It is found that the occurrence of downward-sweeping RSAEs strongly depends on the bulk plasma profiles, including the pressure profile and the safety factor profile. The influence of bulk plasma pressure value and pressure gradient at q min on downsweeping RSAEs is studied, respectively. It is shown that the excitation of downsweeping RSAEs is more associated with the plasma pressure gradient at q min than with the pressure value. The enhancement of the pressure gradient at q min improves the likelihood of the destabilization of downsweeping RSAEs. Moreover, the downsweeping RSAEs only occur in a weak magnetic shear configuration in our simulations. By increasing the magnetic shear strength of central plasmas, it is numerically verified that the downsweeping RSAE activities are suppressed and eventually replaced by toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs). Following this process, the transition region from TAEs to RSAEs is shifted to a region with lower q min values. In this work, the downsweeping RSAE, for which it has been confirmed that the mode is in the nonperturbative regime, has a twisted mode structure in the poloidal plane, while the upsweeping RSAE, which is weakly affected by the energetic ion effects, has a nearly up–down symmetry mode structure. Further, downward-sweeping RSAEs, showing a relatively narrow mode spatial profile, are generally more stable than the upward-sweeping ones, which can be a reason why the downsweeping RSAEs are rare in experiments. Finally, it is found that the kinetic effect of the energetic ion central pitch angle does not affect the excitation of downward-sweeping RSAEs, but affects the mode stability.

Parameter space for magnetization effects in high-energy-density plasmas

Magnetic fields are well known to affect the evolution of fluids via the J × B force, where J is the current density and B is the magnetic field. This force leads to the influence of magnetic fields on hydrodynamics (magnetohydrodynamics). Magnetic fields are often neglected in modeling of high-energy-density plasmas, since J × B is very small compared with the plasma pressure gradients. However, many experiments lie in a separate part of parameter space where the plasma is indirectly affected via magnetization of the heat flux and charged particle transport. This is true even for initially unmagnetized plasmas, since misaligned density and temperature gradients can self-generate magnetic fields. By comparing terms in the induction equation, we go on to estimate the regions of parameter space where these self-generated fields are strong enough to affect the hydrodynamics.

Analysis of Deformation and Erosion during CME Evolution

Magnetised coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are quite substantially deformed during their journey form the Sun to the Earth. Moreover, the interaction of their internal magnetic field with the magnetic field of the ambient solar wind can cause deflection and erosion of their mass and magnetic flux. We here analyse axisymmetric (2.5D) MHD simulations of normal and inverse CME, i.e., with the opposite or same polarity as the background solar wind, and attempt to quantify the erosion and the different forces that operate on the CMEs during their evolution. By analysing the forces, it was found that an increase of the background wind density results in a stronger plasma pressure gradient in the sheath that decelerates the magnetic cloud more. This in turn leads to an increase of the magnetic pressure gradient between the centre of the magnetic cloud and the separatrix, causing a further deceleration. Regardless of polarity, the current sheet that forms in our model between the rear of the CME and the closed field lines of the helmet streamer, results in magnetic field lines being stripped from the magnetic cloud. It is also found that slow normal CMEs experience the same amount of erosion, regardless of the background wind density. Moreover, as the initial velocity increases, so does the influence of the wind density on the erosion. We found that increasing the CME speed leads to a higher overall erosion due to stronger magnetic reconnection. For inverse CMEs, field lines are not stripped away but added to the magnetic cloud, leading to about twice as much magnetic flux at 1 AU than normal CMEs with the same initial flux.

Physical Characteristics of Unstructured Coronal Clouds

Abstract Active regions in the inner solar corona, when observed in X-ray emission, consist of bright, hot loops surrounded by unstructured clouds. The emission from the clouds extends to a height of ≈4–5 × 104 km at temperatures of ≈2–3 MK. These “hot clouds” are variable, but persist for many days and do not appear to connect directly to the active region streamers or other large-scale structures observed higher in the corona. We present an observational analysis of these diffuse structures to establish basic plasma parameters such as magnetic field strength, particle density, and temperature. The values of β, the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic field pressure, were found to be generally less than unity, though often approaching unity in the upper portions of the active region, where the hot clouds are located. The magnetic field may therefore only partially confine these regions and inhibit flare-like instabilities that could otherwise be driven by gradients of plasma pressure and current density.

Configuration of the Earth’s Magnetotail Current Sheet

AbstractThe spatial scale and intensity of Earth’s magnetotail current sheet determine the magnetotail configuration, which is critical to one of the most energetically powerful phenomena in the Earth’s magnetosphere, substorms. In the absence of statistical information about plasma currents, theories of the magnetotail current sheets were mostly based on the isotropic stress balance. Such models suggest that thin current sheets cannot be long and should have strong plasma pressure gradients along the magnetotail. Using Magnetospheric Multiscale and THEMIS observations and global simulations, we explore realistic configuration of the magnetotail current sheet. We find that the magnetotail current sheet is thinner than expected from theories that assume isotropic stress balance. Observed plasma pressure gradients in thin current sheets are insufficiently strong (i.e., current sheets are too long) to balance the magnetic field line tension force. Therefore, pressure anisotropy is essential in the configuration of thin current sheets where instability precedes substorm onset.

Driven resonant current amplification in self-organized plasma configurations with uniform λ and plasma pressure confinement

Driven resonant current amplification in uniform λ=μoJB, self-organized plasma configurations with plasma pressure confinement is studied. This work extends previous analyses of force-free states (J∥B) to equilibria with plasma pressure gradients (∇P=J×B≠0). An analytical treatment shows that in equilibria with uniform λ and a plasma pressure gradient that varies linearly with poloidal magnetic flux, driven resonances are either downshifted or upshifted from their force-free values. Additionally, a modification of off resonance current amplification is observed in pressure confining equilibria. Computational results add support to analytical predictions, and also include driven resonance behavior with equilibrium profiles not considered analytically. These results suggest not only persistence, but also modification of driven resonant current amplification in sustained spheromak configurations with plasma pressure confinement when compared to force-free states. By providing a basis for the existence of driven, high current amplification, pressure confining equilibria, this work provides insight into the accessibility of sustained spheromak states of most interest for potential fusion energy applications.

Conjugate Ionospheric Perturbation During the 2017 Solar Eclipse

AbstractWe report new findings of total electron content (TEC) perturbations in the southern hemisphere at conjugate locations to the northern eclipse on August 21, 2017. We identified a persistent conjugate TEC depletion by 10%–15% during the eclipse time, elongating along magnetic latitudes with at least ∼5° latitudinal width. As the Moon's shadow swept southward, this conjugate depletion moved northward and became most pronounced at lower magnetic latitudes (&gt;−20°N). This depletion was coincident with a weakening of the southern crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), while the northern EIA crest stayed almost undisturbed or was slightly enhanced. We suggest these conjugate perturbations were associated with dramatic eclipse initiated plasma pressure reductions in the flux tubes, with a large portion of shorter tubes located at low latitudes underneath the Moon's shadow. These short L‐shell tubes intersect with the F region ionosphere at low and equatorial latitudes. The plasma pressure gradient was markedly skewed northward in the flux tubes at low and equatorial latitudes, as was the neutral pressure. These effects caused a general northward motion tendency for plasma within the flux tubes, and inhibited normal southward diffusion of equatorial fountain plasma into the southern EIA region. We also identified posteclipse ionospheric disturbances likely associated with the global propagation of eclipse‐induced traveling atmospheric disturbances in alignment with the Moon's shadow moving direction.