Relativistic Degenerate Plasma Research Articles

Nonlinear ion acoustic waves in a relativistic degenerate plasma with Landau diamagnetism and electron trapping

We consider the effects of trapping in a relativistic degenerate plasma with quantizing magnetic field. The linear dispersion relation for such an ion acoustic wave is derived and the propagation characteristics of these waves are discussed. The Sagdeev potential for the formation of arbitrary amplitude solitary structures is obtained and it is seen that only compressive solitary structures are formed for the relativistic degenerate quantized magnetoplasma. The dependence of the linear and nonlinear propagation characteristics of ion acoustic waves on different plasma parameters is explored. A comparison is also made with the previous studies. The useful applications of the present investigation in dense astrophysical environments like white dwarf stars and neutron stars, in semiconductor physics, in high-energy density physics, in inertial confinement fusion and in next generation laser–plasma interaction experiments are pointed out.

On the dispersion characteristics of relativistic obliquely propagating Bernstein wave in a degenerate electron plasma

The dispersion characteristics of obliquely propagating electrostatic Bernstein wave in a relativistic degenerate electron plasma is markedly different from perpendicular one. Employing linearized Vlasov-Maxwell model, the dispersion relation of obliquely propagating Bernstein wave in a relativistic degenerate electron plasma is derived. In particular, the results are obtained in the propagation range kz > kx with kx≠0. In the high frequency (ω > > k.v) and weak propagation (Ω>>k.v or k → 0) limiting cases, the generalized results reduce to the Upper hybrid wave for θ′ = 00 and Langmuir wave for θ′ = 900 (where Ω is the gyro-frequency and θ′ is the propagation angle of k with respect to x-axis). Graphical analysis is also performed to highlight the new trends in wave spectra.

On the dispersion characteristics of extraordinary mode in a relativistic fully degenerate electron plasma

The study of relativistic degenerate plasmas is important in many astrophysical and laboratory environments. Using linearized relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell equations, a generalized expression for the plasma conductivity tensor is derived. Employing Fermi-Dirac distribution at zero temperature, the dispersion relation of the extraordinary mode in a relativistic degenerate electron plasma is investigated. The propagation characteristics are examined in different relativistic density ranges. The shifting of cutoff points due to relativistic effects is observed analytically and graphically. Non-relativistic and ultra-relativistic limiting cases are also presented.

Characteristics of solitary waves in a relativistic degenerate ion beam driven magneto plasma

The nonlinear propagation of a small amplitude ion acoustic solitary wave in a relativistic degenerate magneto plasma in the presence of an ion beam is investigated in detail. The nonlinear equations describing the evolution of a solitary wave in the presence of relativistic non-degenerate magnetized positive ions and ion beams including magnetized degenerate relativistic electrons are derived in terms of Zakharov-Kuznetsov (Z-K) equation for such plasma systems. The ion beams which are a ubiquitous ingredient in such plasma systems are found to have a decisive role in the propagation of a solitary wave in such a highly dense plasma system. The conditions of a wave, propagating with typical solitonic characteristics, are examined and discussed in detail under suitable conditions of different physical parameters. Both a subsonic and supersonic wave can propagate in such plasmas bearing different characteristics under different physical situations. A detailed analysis of waves propagating in subsonic and/or supersonic regime is carried out. The ion beam concentrations, magnetic field, as well as ion beam streaming velocity are found to play a momentous role on the control of the amplitude and width of small amplitude perturbation in both weakly (or non-relativistic) and relativistic plasmas.

On the Raman instability in degenerate relativistic plasmas

The stimulated Raman scattering instability in a fully degenerate electron plasma is studied applying relativistic hydrodynamic and Maxwell equations. We demonstrated that the instability develops for weakly and strongly relativistic degenerate plasmas. It is shown that in the field of strong radiation, a degenerate relativistic plasma effectively responses as in the case of weak degeneracy.

Breather structures in degenerate relativistic non-extensive plasma

We examine the excitation of breather structures in a degenerate relativistic plasma consisting of non-extensive electrons and cold ions. For this purpose, the multiple time scale perturbation technique is used to obtain a nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE). We then consider different localized solutions regarding analytical breather solutions of the NLSE, and examine their properties in the frame of the present plasma system, i.e. a degenerate relativistic non-extensive plasma. The results of the present investigation may be useful for the understanding of the basic features of the nonlinear excitations that may occur in dense astrophysical plasmas.

Solitary waves in a degenerate relativistic plasma with ionic pressure anisotropy and electron trapping effects

The dynamics of obliquely propagating ion-acoustic (IA) waves in the presence of ionic pressure anisotropy and electron trapping effects is studied in a dense magnetoplasma, containing degenerate relativistic trapped electrons and dynamical (classical) ions. By using the plane wave solution, a modified linear dispersion relation for IA waves is derived and analyzed with different limiting cases and various plasma parameters both analytically and numerically. For nonlinear analysis, a reductive perturbation technique is employed to obtain a Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation involving the weakly nonlinear IA excitations. It is shown that the electron thermal correction and ionic pressure anisotropy strongly modify the wave amplitudes and width attributed to weakly nonlinear IA waves. The stability criterion for stable/unstable solitary pulses is also discussed with variations of angle (β) and temperature ratio (σ). A reduction and domain splitting of unstable excitations into sub-domains with stable and unstable potential pulses are pointed out for electron temperature ratio in the range of 0.01 < σ < 0.3 for degenerate relativistic trapped electrons. Moreover, the ionic pressure anisotropy also considerably affects the stability of solitary potentials in the non-relativistic and ultra-relativistic regimes. The obtained results might be useful for understanding the nonlinear dynamics and propagation characteristics of waves in superdense plasmas, in the environments of white dwarfs and neutron stars, where the electron thermal and ionic pressure anisotropy effects cannot be ignored.

Ion acoustic shock waves in a degenerate relativistic plasma with nuclei of heavy elements

Based on the quantum hydrodynamics theory, a rigorous model for ion acoustic shock waves (IASWs) in a degenerate relativistic plasma with heavy ion nuclei is presented. Two cases are considered: the ultra-relativistic case and the non-relativistic case. A Korteweg-de Vries-Burger's (KdVB) equation describing IASWs in such plasma is derived, then its explicit as well as oscillatory solutions are deduced. It is found that the shape of IASWs is influenced by the particle density of degenerate electrons, the concentration of heavy elements, the viscosity coefficient, and the quantum Bohm potential term. The results should be useful in understanding the shock wave characteristics in degenerate plasma which is found in compact astrophysical objects.

New: Variational principle–exact solutions and conservation laws for modified ion-acoustic shock waves and double layers with electron degenerate in plasma

The nonlinear propagation of modified ion acoustic shock waves and double layers in a relativistic degenerate plasma is considered. This plasma system is proposed for containing inertial viscous positive and negative ion fluids, relativistic electron fluids, and negatively charged immobile heavy ions. The basic set of fluid equations is reduced to modified Burgers (MB) and further modified Burgers (FMB) or (Gardner) or Mamun and Zobaer (M-Z) equations by using the reductive perturbation method. The basic features of these shocks obtained from this analysis are observed to be significantly different from those obtained from the standard Burgers equation. By introducing two special functions and He's semi-inverse method, a variational principle and conservation laws for the Gardner (FmB) equation are obtained. A set of new exact solutions for the Gardner (FmB) equation are obtained by the auto-Bäcklund transformations. Finally, we will study the physical meanings of solutions.

Study of the O-mode in a relativistic degenerate electron plasma

Using the linearized relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell equations, a generalized expression for the plasma conductivity tensor is derived. The dispersion relation for the O-mode in a relativistic degenerate electron plasma is investigated by employing the Fermi–Dirac distribution function. The propagation characteristics of the O-mode (cut offs, resonances, propagation regimes, harmonic structure) are examined by using specific values of the density and the magnetic field that correspond to different relativistic dense environments. Further, it is observed that due to the relativistic effects the cut off and the resonance points are shifted to low frequency values, as a result the propagation regime is reduced. The dispersion relations for the non-relativistic and the ultra-relativistic limits are also presented.

Effect of Bohm quantum potential in the propagation of ion–acoustic waves in degenerate plasmas

A theoretical investigation has been carried out on the propagation of the ion–acoustic (IA) waves in a relativistic degenerate plasma containing relativistic degenerate electron and positron fluids in the presence of inertial non-relativistic light ion fluid. The Korteweg-de Vries (K-dV), modified K-dV (mK-dV), and mixed mK-dV (mmK-dV) equations are derived by adopting the reductive perturbation method. In order to analyze the basic features (phase speed, amplitude, width, etc.) of the IA solitary waves (SWs), the SWs solutions of the K-dV, mK-dV, and mmK-dV are numerically analyzed. It is found that the degenerate pressure, inclusion of the new phenomena like the Fermi temperatures and quantum mechanical effects (arising due to the quantum diffraction) of both electrons and positrons, number densities, etc., of the plasma species remarkably change the basic characteristics of the IA SWs which are found to be formed either with positive or negative potential. The implication of our results in explaining different nonlinear phenomena in astrophysical compact objects, e.g., white dwarfs, neutron stars, etc., and laboratory plasmas like intense laser–solid matter interaction experiments, etc., are mentioned.

Nonlinear Electroacoustic Waves in Fully Relativistic Astrophysical Degenerate Plasmas

The solitary structures associated with the electroacoustic (EA) waves, in which the cold degenerate electron and positron fluids provide the inertia, the hot electrons and positrons following the Maxwellian distribution give rise to the restoring force, and stationary heavy ions maintain the background charge neutrality condition, have been theoretically studied. The fully relativistic hydrodynamic model is utilized to derive the Korteweg-de Vries equation. The stationary solitary wave solution is obtained and numerically analyzed to identify the basic features of the solitary structures that are found to be formed in the astrophysical relativistic degenerate dense plasmas. It is found that the combined effects of electron and positron dynamics, stationary heavy ions, and relativistic degeneracy play a very significant role in modifying the basic properties of the EA waves in such degenerate dense plasmas. The latter usually occurs in the compact astrophysical objects, such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, and so on.

Ion waves driven by shear flow in a relativistic degenerate astrophysical plasma

We investigate the existence and propagation of low-frequency (in comparison to ion cyclotron frequency) electrostatic ion waves in highly dense inhomogeneous astrophysical magnetoplasma comprising relativistic degenerate electrons and non-degenerate ions. The dispersion equation is obtained by Fourier analysis under mean-field quantum hydrodynamics approximation for various limits of the ratio of rest mass energy to Fermi energy of electrons, relevant to ultra-relativistic, weakly-relativistic and non-relativistic regimes. It is found that the system admits an oscillatory instability under certain condition in the presence of velocity shear parallel to ambient magnetic field. The dispersive role of plasma density and magnetic field is also discussed parametrically in the scenario of dense and degenerate astrophysical plasmas.

Magnetohydrodynamic waves with relativistic electrons and positrons in degenerate spin-1/2 astrophysical plasmas

Linear properties of high and low frequency waves are studied in an electron-positron-ion (e-p-i) dense plasma with spin and relativity effects. In a low frequency regime, the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves, namely, the magnetoacoustic and Alfven waves are presented in a magnetized plasma, in which the inertial ions are taken as spinless and non-degenerate, whereas the electrons and positrons are treated quantum mechanically due to their smaller mass. Quantum corrections associated with the spin magnetization and density correlations for electrons and positrons are re-considered and a generalized dispersion relation for the low frequency MHD waves is derived to account for relativistic degeneracy effects. On the basis of angles of propagation, the dispersion relations of different modes are discussed analytically in a degenerate relativistic plasma. Numerical results reveal that electron and positron relativistic degeneracy effects significantly modify the dispersive properties of MHD waves. Our present analysis should be useful for understanding the collective interactions in dense astrophysical compact objects, like, the white dwarfs and in atmosphere of neutron stars.

Alfven solitary waves in nonrelativistic, relativistic, and ultra-relativistic degenerate quantum plasma

Nonlinear circularly polarized Alfvén waves are studied in magnetized nonrelativistic, relativistic, and ultrarelativistic degenerate Fermi plasmas. Using the quantum hydrodynamic model, Zakharov equations are derived and the Sagdeev potential approach is used to investigate the properties of the electromagnetic solitary structures. It is seen that the amplitude increases with the increase of electron density in the relativistic and ultrarelativistic cases but decreases in the nonrelativistic case. Both right and left handed waves are considered, and it is seen that supersonic, subsonic, and super- and sub-Alfvénic solitary structures are obtained for different polarizations and under different relativistic regimes.

Nonlinear ion-acoustic waves in a degenerate plasma with nuclei of heavy elements

The ion-acoustic (IA) solitary waves propagating in a fully relativistic degenerate dense plasma (containing relativistic degenerate electron and ion fluids, and immobile nuclei of heavy elements) have been theoretically investigated. The relativistic hydrodynamic model is used to derive the Korteweg-de Vries (K-dV) equation by the reductive perturbation method. The stationary solitary wave solution of this K-dV equation is obtained to characterize the basic features of the IA solitary structures that are found to exist in such a degenerate plasma. It is found that the effects of electron dynamics, relativistic degeneracy of the plasma fluids, stationary nuclei of heavy elements, etc., significantly modify the basic properties of the IA solitary structures. The implications of this results in astrophysical compact objects like white dwarfs are briefly discussed.

Standing electromagnetic solitons in degenerate relativistic plasmas

The existence of standing high frequency electromagnetic (EM) solitons in a fully degenerate overdense electron plasma is studied applying relativistic hydrodynamics and Maxwell equations. The stable soliton solutions are found in both relativistic and nonrelativistic degenerate plasmas.

Modeling of modified ion-acoustic shock waves in a relativistic electron degenerate multi-ion plasma for higher order nonlinearity

A nonlinear propagation of modified ion-acoustic (mIA) shock waves in a relativistic degenerate plasma (containing inertial viscous positive and negative ion fluids, relativistic electron fluids, and negatively charged immobile heavy ions) has been investigated theoretically. The modified Burgers (mB) and further modified Burgers (FmB) equations have been derived by adopting reductive perturbation technique. The solutions of both mB and FmB equations have been numerically analyzed to characterize the basic features of mIA shock waves. The basic properties (speed, amplitude, width, etc.) of these electrostatic shock waves are found to be significantly modified by the effects of negatively charged static heavy ions and the plasma particle number densities. It is found that the properties of these shock waves obtained from this analysis are significantly different from those obtained from the analysis of standard Burgers equation. The implications of our results in space and interstellar compact objects like non-rotating white dwarfs, neutron stars, etc. are briefly discussed.

Electrostatic Solitary Waves in Relativistic Degenerate Electron–Positron–Ion Plasma

The linear and nonlinear properties of ion acoustic excitations propagating in warm dense electron–positron–ion plasma are investigated. Electrons and positrons are assumed relativistic and degenerate, following the Fermi–Dirac statistics, whereas the warm ions are described by a set of classical fluid equations. A linear dispersion relation is derived in the linear approximation. Adopting a reductive perturbation method, the Korteweg–de Vries equation is derived, which admits a localized wave solution in the form of a small-amplitude weakly super-acoustic pulse-shaped soliton. The analysis is extended to account for arbitrary amplitude solitary waves, by deriving a pseudoenergy-balance like equation, involving a Sagdeev-type pseudopotential. It is shown that the two approaches agree exactly in the small-amplitude weakly super-acoustic limit. The range of allowed values of the pulse soliton speed (Mach number), wherein solitary waves may exist, is determined. The effects of the key plasma configuration parameters, namely, the electron relativistic degeneracy parameter, the ion (thermal)-to-the electron (Fermi) temperature ratio, and the positron-to-electron density ratio, on the soliton characteristics and existence domain, are studied in detail. Our results aim at elucidating the characteristics of ion acoustic excitations in relativistic degenerate plasmas, e.g., in dense astrophysical objects, where degenerate electrons and positrons may occur.

Nonlinear hydrodynamic Langmuir waves in fully degenerate relativistic plasma

The combined effect of special relativity and electron degeneracy on Langmuir waves is analyzed by utilizing a rigorous fully relativistic hydrodynamic model. Assuming a traveling wave solution form, a set of conservation laws is identified, together with a pseudo-potential function depending on the relativistic parameter pF/(m c) (where pF is the Fermi momentum, m is the mass of the charge carriers and c the speed of light), as well as on the amplitude of the electrostatic energy perturbation.