# Relativistic Turbulence with Strong Synchrotron and Synchrotron-Self-Compton Cooling [HEAP]

Many relativistic plasma environments in high-energy astrophysics, including pulsar wind nebulae, hot accretion flows onto black holes, relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts, and giant radio lobes, are naturally turbulent. The plasma in these environments is often so hot that synchrotron and inverse-Compton (IC) radiative cooling becomes important. In this paper we investigate the general thermodynamic and radiative properties (and hence the observational appearance) of an optically thin relativistically hot plasma stirred by driven magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence and cooled by radiation. We find that if the system reaches a statistical equilibrium where turbulent heating is balanced by radiative cooling, the effective electron temperature tends to attain a universal value $\theta = kT_e/m_e c^2 \sim 1/\sqrt{\tau_T}$, where $\tau_T=n_e\sigma_T L \ll 1$ is the system’s Thomson optical depth, essentially independent of the strength of turbulent driving or magnetic field. This is because both MHD turbulent dissipation and synchrotron cooling are proportional to the magnetic energy density. We also find that synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) cooling and perhaps a few higher-order IC components are automatically comparable to synchrotron in this regime. The overall broadband radiation spectrum then consists of several distinct components (synchrotron, SSC, etc.), well separated in photon energy (by a factor $\sim \tau_T^{-1}$) and roughly equal in power. The number of IC peaks is checked by Klein-Nishina effects and depends logarithmically on $\tau_T$ and the magnetic field. We also examine the limitations due to synchrotron self-absorption, explore applications to Crab PWN and blazar jets, and discuss links to radiative magnetic reconnection.

D. Uzdensky
Thu, 16 Mar 17
8/92

Comments: 12 pages, 1 figure; submitted for publication. Comments welcome!

# Influence of a large-scale field on energy dissipation in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence [CL]

In magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, the large-scale magnetic field sets a preferred local direction for the small-scale dynamics, altering the statistics of turbulence from the isotropic case. This happens even in the absence of a total magnetic flux, since MHD turbulence forms randomly oriented large-scale domains of strong magnetic field. It is therefore customary to study small-scale magnetic plasma turbulence by assuming a strong background magnetic field relative to the turbulent fluctuations. This is done, for example, in reduced models of plasmas, such as reduced MHD, reduced-dimension kinetic models, gyrokinetics, etc., which make theoretical calculations easier and numerical computations cheaper. Recently, however, it has become clear that the turbulent energy dissipation is concentrated in the regions of strong magnetic field variations. A significant fraction of the energy dissipation may be localized in very small volumes corresponding to the boundaries between strongly magnetized domains. In these regions the reduced models are not applicable. This has important implications for studies of particle heating and acceleration in magnetic plasma turbulence. The goal of this work is to systematically investigate the relationship between local magnetic field variations and magnetic energy dissipation, and to understand its implications for modeling energy dissipation in realistic turbulent plasmas.

V. Zhdankin, S. Boldyrev and J. Mason
Mon, 13 Mar 17
8/48

Comments: 6 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

# On Kinetic Slow Modes, Fluid Slow Modes, and Pressure-Balanced Structures in the Solar Wind [CL]

Observations in the solar wind suggest that the compressive component of inertial-range solar-wind turbulence is dominated by slow modes. The low collisionality of the solar wind allows for non-thermal features to survive, which suggests the requirement of a kinetic plasma description. The least-damped kinetic slow mode is associated with the ion-acoustic (IA) wave and a non-propagating (NP) mode. We derive analytical expressions for the IA-wave dispersion relation in an anisotropic plasma in the framework of gyrokinetics and then compare them to fully-kinetic numerical calculations, results from two-fluid theory, and MHD. This comparison shows major discrepancies in the predicted wave phase speeds from MHD and kinetic theory at moderate to high $\beta$. MHD and kinetic theory also dictate that all plasma normal modes exhibit a unique signature in terms of their polarization. We quantify the relative amplitude of fluctuations in the three lowest particle velocity moments associated with IA and NP modes in the gyrokinetic limit and compare these predictions with MHD results and in-situ observations of the solar-wind turbulence. The agreement between the observations of the wave polarization and our MHD predictions is better than the kinetic predictions, suggesting that the plasma behaves more like a fluid in the solar wind than expected.

D. Verscharen, C. Chen and R. Wicks
Fri, 10 Mar 17
48/52

Comments: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to ApJ

# Turbulent kinetic energy in the energy balance of a solar flare [SSA]

The energy released in solar flares derives from a reconfiguration of magnetic fields to a lower energy state, and is manifested in several forms, including bulk kinetic energy of the coronal mass ejection, acceleration of electrons and ions, and enhanced thermal energy that is ultimately radiated away across the electromagnetic spectrum from optical to X-rays. Using an unprecedented set of coordinated observations, from a suite of instruments, we here report on a hitherto largely overlooked energy component — the kinetic energy associated with small-scale turbulent mass motions. We show that the spatial location of, and timing of the peak in, turbulent kinetic energy together provide persuasive evidence that turbulent energy may play a key role in the transfer of energy in solar flares. Although the kinetic energy of turbulent motions accounts, at any given time, for only $\sim (0.5-1)$\% of the energy released, its relatively rapid ($\sim$$1-10$~s) energization and dissipation causes the associated throughput of energy (i.e., power) to rival that of major components of the released energy in solar flares, and thus presumably in other astrophysical acceleration sites.

E. Kontar, J. Perez, L. Harra, et. al.
Wed, 8 Mar 17
23/60

Comments: 5pages, 4 figures, to be published in Physical Review Letters

# Plasma turbulence at ion scales: a comparison between PIC and Eulerian hybrid-kinetic approaches [CL]

Kinetic-range turbulence in magnetized plasmas and, in particular, in the context of solar-wind turbulence has been extensively investigated over the past decades via numerical simulations. Among others, one of the widely adopted reduced plasma model is the so-called hybrid-kinetic model, where the ions are fully kinetic and the electrons are treated as a neutralizing (inertial or massless) fluid. Within the same model, different numerical methods and/or approaches to turbulence development have been employed. In the present work, we present a comparison between two-dimensional hybrid-kinetic simulations of plasma turbulence obtained with two complementary approaches spanning about two decades in wavenumber – from MHD inertial range to scales well below the ion gyroradius – with a state-of-the-art accuracy. One approach employs hybrid particle-in-cell (HPIC) simulations of freely-decaying Alfv\’enic turbulence, whereas the other consists of Eulerian hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell (HVM) simulations of turbulence continuously driven with partially-compressible large-scale fluctuations. Despite the completely different initialization and injection/drive at large scales, the same properties of turbulent fluctuations at $k_\perp\rho_i\gtrsim1$ are observed. The system indeed self-consistently “reprocesses” the turbulent fluctuations while they are cascading towards smaller and smaller scales, in a way which actually depends on the plasma beta parameter. Small-scale turbulence has been found to be mainly populated by kinetic Alfv\’en wave (KAW) fluctuations for $\beta\geq1$, whereas KAW fluctuations are only sub-dominant for low-$\beta$.

S. Cerri, L. Franci, F. Califano, et. al.
Wed, 8 Mar 17
47/60

Comments: 18 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in J. Plasma Phys. (Collection: “The Vlasov equation: from space to laboratory plasma physics”)

# Radio and the 1999 UK Total Solar Eclipse [EPA]

On the morning of the August 11th 1999, a total eclipse of the sun plunged Cornwall and parts of Devon into darkness. The event of the eclipse was bound to attract a great deal of scientific and media attention. Realizing that the differences in day-time/night-time propagation of VLF/LF/MF to HF bands would also apply during the darkness of the eclipse, the eclipse offered a rare PR opportunity to promote radio to the general public. At the same time the specific nature of the disturbance to the upper atmosphere and the effect on radio propagation could be examined in detail using scientific instruments at minimum cost since most instruments would not have to be moved. This would allow prediction models to be tested in a controlled fashion. Contained within this report are the details and results of the radio and ionospheric experiments conducted by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory during the 1999 total solar eclipse. The promoting of the radio experiments with the general public produced nearly 60 appearances on local and national TV, newspapers and periodicals. Close to 1700 people responded to the general public medium wave experiment and 16 million people looked in on the general eclipse web site (part funded by RA) that included the details of the radio experiments. A large database of systematic observations across VLF to HF was collected from radio amateurs and from the RA Regional Offices allowing comparisons to be made with ITU estimates. There is a brief look at the scientific results and a forward look as to how the analysis of this disturbance might have impact on the use of ionospheric models for Space Weather tools in the future.

R. Bamford
Tue, 7 Mar 17
16/66

Comments: 41 pages, 33 Figures, government funded research final report, unclassified

# Dual Maxwellian-Kappa modelling of the solar wind electrons: new clues on the temperature of Kappa populations [CL]

Context. Recent studies on Kappa distribution functions invoked in space plasma applications have emphasized two alternative approaches which may assume the temperature parameter either dependent or independent of the power-index $\kappa$. Each of them can obtain justification in different scenarios involving Kappa-distributed plasmas, but direct evidences supporting any of these two alternatives with measurements from laboratory or natural plasmas are not available yet. Aims. This paper aims to provide more facts on this intriguing issue from direct fitting measurements of suprathermal electron populations present in the solar wind, as well as from their destabilizing effects predicted by these two alternating approaches. Methods. Two fitting models are contrasted, namely, the global Kappa and the dual Maxwellian-Kappa models, which are currently invoked in theory and observations. The destabilizing effects of suprathermal electrons are characterized on the basis of a kinetic approach which accounts for the microscopic details of the velocity distribution. Results. In order to be relevant, the model is chosen to accurately reproduce the observed distributions and this is achieved by a dual Maxwellian-Kappa distribution function. A statistical survey indicates a $\kappa$-dependent temperature of the suprathermal (halo) electrons for any heliocentric distance. Only for this approach the instabilities driven by the temperature anisotropy are found to be systematically stimulated by the abundance of suprathermal populations, i.e., lowering the values of $\kappa$-index.

M. Lazar, V. Pierrard, S. Shaaban, et. al.
Tue, 7 Mar 17
17/66

Comments: Submitted to A&A

# Chirality, extended MHD statistics and solar wind turbulence [CL]

We unite the one-flow-dominated-state (OFDS) argument of \citet{MeyrandGaltierPRL12} with the one-chiral-sector-dominated-state \citep[OCSDS:][]{hydrochirality} one to form a nonlinear extended-magnetohydrodynamics (XMHD) theory for the solar wind turbulence (SWT), both in the Hall MHD regime and in the electron inertial MHD regime \citep[modifying the theory of][]{AbdelhamidLingamMahajanAPJ16}. Degenerate states’ in \citet{MiloshevichLingamMorrisonNJP17}’s XMHD absolute equilibria are exposed by helical mode decomposition technique, and the chiroids absolute equilibria’ offer the statistical dynamics basis to replace the linear wave (of infinitesimal or arbitrarily finite amplitudes) arguments of previous theories with OCSDS, suggested here to unite OFDS with careful analyses for the physics of (generalized) helicity and chirality in SWT.

J. Zhu
Tue, 7 Mar 17
61/66

# Magnetic Reconnection in Turbulent Diluted Plasmas [CL]

We study magnetic reconnection events in a turbulent plasma within the two-fluid theory. By identifying the diffusive regions, we measure the reconnection rates as function of the conductivity and current sheet thickness. We have found that the reconnection rate scales as the squared of the inverse of the current sheet’s thickness and is independent of the aspect ratio of the diffusive region, in contrast to other analytical, e.g. the Sweet-Parker and Petscheck, and numerical models. Furthermore, while the reconnection rates are also proportional to the square inverse of the conductivity, the aspect ratios of the diffusive regions, which exhibit values in the range of $0.1-0.9$, are not correlated to the latter. Our findings suggest a new expression for the magnetic reconnection rate, which, after experimental verification, can provide a further understanding of the magnetic reconnection process.

N. Offeddu and M. Mendoza
Mon, 6 Mar 17
21/47

Comments: 9 Pages, 6 figures

# A nonlinear Monte Carlo model of super-diffusive shock acceleration with magnetic field amplification [HEAP]

Fast collisionless shocks in cosmic plasmas convert their kinetic energy flow into the hot downstream thermal plasma with a substantial fraction of energy going into a broad spectrum of superthermal charged particles and magnetic fluctuations. The superthermal particles can penetrate into the shock upstream region producing an extended shock precursor. The cold upstream plasma flow is decelerated by the force provided by the superthermal particle pressure gradient. In high Mach number collisionless shocks, efficient particle acceleration is likely coupled with turbulent magnetic field amplification (MFA) generated by the anisotropic distribution of accelerated particles. This anisotropy is determined by the fast particle transport making the problem strongly nonlinear and multi-scale. Here, we present a nonlinear Monte Carlo model of collisionless shock structure with super-diffusive propagation of high-energy Fermi accelerated particles coupled to particle acceleration and MFA which affords a consistent description of strong shocks. A distinctive feature of the Monte Carlo technique is that it includes the full angular anisotropy of the particle distribution at all precursor positions. The model reveals that the super-diffusive transport of energetic particles (i.e., Levy-walk propagation) generates a strong quadruple anisotropy in the precursor particle distribution. The resultant pressure anisotropy of the high-energy particles produces a non-resonant mirror-type instability which amplifies compressible wave modes with wavelengths longer than the gyroradii of the highest energy protons produced by the shock.

A. Bykov, D. Ellison and S. Osipov
Mon, 6 Mar 17
37/47

Comments: Accepted for publication in Physical Review E

# Comparative statistics of selected subgrid-scale models in large eddy simulations of decaying, supersonic MHD turbulence [CL]

Large eddy simulations (LES) are a powerful tool in understanding processes that are inaccessible by direct simulations due to their complexity, for example, in the highly turbulent regime. However, their accuracy and success depends on a proper subgrid-scale (SGS) model that accounts for the unresolved scales in the simulation. We evaluate the applicability of two traditional SGS models, namely the eddy-viscosity (EV) and the scale-similarity (SS) model, and one recently proposed nonlinear (NL) SGS model in the realm of compressible MHD turbulence. Using 209 simulations of decaying, supersonic (initial sonic Mach number of ~3) MHD turbulence with a shock-capturing scheme and varying resolution, SGS model and filter, we analyze the ensemble statistics of kinetic and magnetic energy spectra and structure functions. Furthermore, we compare the temporal evolution of lower and higher order statistical moments of the spatial distributions of kinetic and magnetic energy, vorticity, current density, and dilatation magnitudes. We find no statistical influence on the evolution of the flow by any model if grid-scale quantities are used to calculate SGS contributions. In addition, the SS models, which employ an explicit filter, have no impact in general. On the contrary, both EV and NL models change the statistics if an explicit filter is used. For example, they slightly increase the dissipation on the smallest scales. We demonstrate that the nonlinear model improves higher order statistics already with a small explicit filter, i.e. a three-point stencil. The results of e.g. the structure functions or the skewness and kurtosis of the current density distribution are closer to the ones obtained from simulations at higher resolution. We conclude that the nonlinear model with a small explicit filter is suitable for application in more complex scenarios when higher order statistics are important.

P. Grete, D. Vlaykov, W. Schmidt, et. al.
Fri, 3 Mar 17
36/62

Comments: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PRE

# Detonability of white dwarf plasma: turbulence models at low densities [SSA]

We study the conditions required to produce self-sustained detonations in turbulent, carbon-oxygen degenerate plasma at low densities.
We perform a series of three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of turbulence driven with various degrees of compressibility. The average conditions in the simulations are representative of models of merging binary white dwarfs.
We find that material with very short ignition times is abundant in the case that turbulence is driven compressively. This material forms contiguous structures that persist over many ignition times, and that we identify as prospective detonation kernels. Detailed analysis of prospective kernels reveals that these objects are centrally-condensed and their shape is characterized by low curvature, supportive of self-sustained detonations. The key characteristic of the newly proposed detonation mechanism is thus high degree of compressibility of turbulent drive.
The simulated detonation kernels have sizes notably smaller than the spatial resolution of any white dwarf merger simulation performed to date. The resolution required to resolve kernels is 0.1 km. Our results indicate a high probability of detonations in such well-resolved simulations of carbon-oxygen white dwarf mergers. These simulations will likely produce detonations in systems of lower total mass, thus broadening the population of white dwarf binaries capable of producing Type Ia supernovae. Consequently, we expect a downward revision of the lower limit of the total merger mass that is capable of producing a prompt detonation.
We review application of the new detonation mechanism to various explosion scenarios of single, Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs.

D. Fenn and T. Plewa
Thu, 2 Mar 17
43/44

Comments: 13 pages, MNRAS in press

# On the role of magnetosonic solitons in perpendicular collisionless shock reformation [CL]

The nature of the magnetic structure arising from ion specular reflection in shock compression studies is examined by means of 1d particle in cell simulations. Propagation speed, field profiles and supporting currents for this magnetic structure are shown to be consistent with a magnetosonic soliton. Coincidentally, this structure and its evolution are typical of foot structures observed in perpendicular shock reformation. To reconcile these two observations, we propose, for the first time, that shock reformation can be explained as the result of the formation, growth and subsequent transition to a super-critical shock of a magnetosonic soliton. This argument is further supported by the remarkable agreement found between the period of the soliton evolution cycle and classical reformation results. This new result suggests that the unique properties of solitons can be used to shed new light on the long-standing issue of shock non-stationarity and its role on particle acceleration.

R. Gueroult, Y. Oshawa and N. Fisch
Wed, 1 Mar 17
19/67

Comments: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters

# The distribution of density in supersonic turbulence [GA]

We propose a model for the density statistics in supersonic turbulence, which play a crucial role in star-formation and the physics of the interstellar medium (ISM). Motivated by [Hopkins, MNRAS, 430, 1880 (2013)], the model considers the density to be arranged into a collection of strong shocks of width $\sim\! \mathcal{M}^{-2}$, where $\mathcal{M}$ is the turbulent Mach number. With two physically motivated parameters, the model predicts all density statistics for $\mathcal{M}>1$ turbulence: the density probability distribution and its intermittency (deviation from log-normality), the density variance-Mach number relation, power spectra, and structure functions. For the proposed model parameters, reasonable agreement is seen between model predictions and numerical simulations, albeit within the large uncertainties associated with current simulation results. More generally, the model could provide a useful framework for more detailed analysis of future simulations and observational data. Due to the simple physical motivations for the model in terms of shocks, it is straightforward to generalize to more complex physical processes, which will be helpful in future more detailed applications to the ISM. We see good qualitative agreement between such extensions and recent simulations of non-isothermal turbulence.

J. Squire and P. Hopkins
Tue, 28 Feb 17
31/69

# Electron dynamics surrounding the X-line in asymmetric magnetic reconnection [CL]

Electron dynamics surrounding the X-line in magnetopause-type asymmetric reconnection is investigated using a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. We study electron properties of three characteristic regions in the vicinity of the X-line. The fluid properties, velocity distribution functions (VDFs), and orbits are studied and cross-compared. In the low-$\beta$ side of the X-line, the normal electric field enhances the electron meandering motion from the high-$\beta$ side. The motion leads to a crescent-shaped component in the electron VDF, in agreement with recent studies. In the high-$\beta$ side of the X-line, the magnetic field line is so stretched in the third dimension that its curvature radius is comparable with typical electron Larmor radius. The electron motion becomes nonadiabatic, and therefore the electron idealness is no longer expected to hold. Around the middle of the outflow regions, the electron nonidealness is coincident with the region of the nonadiabatic motion. Finally, we introduce a finite-time mixing fraction (FTMF) to evaluate electron mixing. The FTMF marks the low-$\beta$ side of the X-line, where the nonideal energy dissipation occurs.

S. Zenitani, H. Hasegawa and T. Nagai
Fri, 24 Feb 17
10/50

# How Anomalous Resistivity Accelerates Magnetic Reconnection [CL]

Whether Turbulence-induced anomalous resistivity (AR) can facilitate a fast magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma is a subject of active debate for decades. A particularly difficult problem in experimental and numerical simulation studies of the problem is how to distinguish the effects of AR from those originating from Hall-effect and other non-turbulent processes in the generalized Ohm’s. In this paper, using particle-in-cell simulations, we present a case study of how AR produced by Buneman Instability accelerates magnetic reconnection. We first show that in a thin current layer, the AR produced by Buneman instability spontaneously breaks the magnetic field lines and causes impulsive fast non-Hall magnetic line annihilation on electron-scales with a rate reaching 0.6~$V_A$. However, the electron-scale magnetic line annihilation is not a necessary condition for the dissipation of magnetic energy, but rather a result of the inhomogeneity of the AR. On the other hand, the inhomogeneous drag arising from a Buneman instability driven by the intense electron beams at the x-line in a 3D magnetic reconnection can drive in the electron diffusion region electron-scale magnetic line annihilation. The electron-scale annihilations play an essential role in accelerating the magnetic reconnection with a rate two times faster than the non-turbulent Hall-dominated 2D magnetic reconnection. The reconnection rate is enhanced around the x-line, and the coupling between the AR carried out by the reconnection outflow and the Hall effect leads to the breaking of the symmetric structure of the ion diffusion region and the enhancement of the outward Poynting flux.

H. Che
Tue, 21 Feb 17
12/70

Comments: submitted to Physics of Plasma

# A Maximum Entropy Principle for inferring the Distribution of 3D Plasmoids [HEAP]

The Principle of Maximum Entropy, a powerful and general method for inferring the distribution function given a set of constraints, is applied to deduce the overall distribution of plasmoids (flux ropes/tubes). The analysis is undertaken for the general 3D case, with mass, total flux and (3D) velocity serving as the variables of interest, on account of their physical and observational relevance. The distribution functions for the mass, width, total flux and helicity exhibit a power-law behavior with exponents of $-4/3$, $-2$, $-3$ and $-2$ respectively for small values, whilst all of them display an exponential falloff for large values. In contrast, the velocity distribution, as a function of $v = |{\bf v}|$, is shown to be flat for $v \rightarrow 0$, and becomes a power law with an exponent of $-7/3$ for $v \rightarrow \infty$. Most of these results exhibit a high degree of universality, as they are nearly independent of the free parameters. A preliminary comparison of our results with the observational evidence is presented, and some of the ensuing space and astrophysical implications are discussed.

M. Lingam, L. Comisso and A. Bhattacharjee
Tue, 21 Feb 17
25/70

Comments: 15 pages, 6 figures

# SHARP: A Spatially Higher-order, Relativistic Particle-in-Cell Code [CL]

Numerical heating in particle-in-cell (PIC) codes currently precludes the accurate simulation of cold, relativistic plasma over long periods, severely limiting their applications in astrophysical environments. We present a spatially higher order accurate relativistic PIC algorithm in one spatial dimension which conserves charge and momentum exactly. We utilize the smoothness implied by the usage of higher order interpolation functions to achieve a spatially higher order accurate algorithm (up to 5th order). We validate our algorithm against several test problems — thermal stability of stationary plasma, stability of linear plasma waves, and two-stream instability in the relativistic and non-relativistic regimes. Comparing our simulations to exact solutions of the dispersion relations, we demonstrate that SHARP can quantitatively reproduce important kinetic features of the linear regime. Our simulations have a superior ability to control energy non-conservation and avoid numerical heating in comparison to common second order schemes. We provide a natural definition for convergence of a general PIC algorithm: the complement of physical modes captured by the simulation, i.e., lie above the Poisson noise, must grow commensurately with the resolution. This implies that it is necessary to simultaneously increase the number of particles per cell and decrease the cell size. We demonstrate that traditional ways for testing for convergence fail, leading to plateauing of the energy error. This new PIC code enables to faithfully study the long-term evolution of plasma problems that require absolute control of the energy and momentum conservation.

M. Shalaby, A. Broderick, P. Chang, et. al.
Fri, 17 Feb 17
28/43

Comments: 25 pages, 18 figures, submitted to ApJ

# Electric current filamentation induced by 3D plasma flows in the solar corona [SSA]

Many magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere evolve rather slowly so that they can be assumed as (quasi-)static or (quasi-)stationary and represented via magneto-hydrostatic (MHS) or stationary magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) equilibria, respectively. While exact 3D solutions would be desired, they are extremely difficult to find in stationary MHD. We construct solutions with magnetic and flow vector fields that have three components depending on all three coordinates. We show that the non-canonical transformation method produces quasi-3D solutions of stationary MHD by mapping 2D or 2.5D MHS equilibria to corresponding stationary MHD states, i.e., states that display the same field line structure as the original MHS equilibria. These stationary MHD states exist on magnetic flux surfaces of the original 2D MHS states. Although the flux surfaces and therefore also the equilibria have a 2D character, these stationary MHD states depend on all three coordinates and display highly complex currents. The existence of geometrically complex 3D currents within symmetric field-line structures provide the base for efficient dissipation of the magnetic energy in the solar corona by Ohmic heating. We also discuss the possibility of maintaining an important subset of non-linear MHS states, namely force-free fields, by stationary flows. We find that force-free fields with non-linear flows only arise under severe restrictions of the field-line geometry and of the magnetic flux density distribution.

D. Nickeler, T. Wiegelmann, M. Karlicky, et. al.
Wed, 15 Feb 17
21/47

Comments: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted to ApJ

# On the origin of the crescent-shaped distributions observed by MMS at the magnetopause [CL]

MMS observations recently confirmed that crescent-shaped electron velocity distributions in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field occur in the electron diffusion region near reconnection sites at Earth’s magnetopause. In this paper, we re-examine the origin of the crescent-shaped distributions in the light of our new finding that ions and electrons are drifting in opposite directions when displayed in magnetopause boundary-normal coordinates. Therefore, ExB drifts cannot cause the crescent shapes. We performed a high-resolution multi-scale simulation capturing sub-electron skin depth scales. The results suggest that the crescent-shaped distributions are caused by meandering orbits without necessarily requiring any additional processes found at the magnetopause such as the highly asymmetric magnetopause ambipolar electric field. We use an adiabatic Hamiltonian model of particle motion to confirm that conservation of canonical momentum in the presence of magnetic field gradients causes the formation of crescent shapes without invoking asymmetries or the presence of an ExB drift. An important consequence of this finding is that we expect crescent-shaped distributions also to be observed in the magnetotail, a prediction that MMS will soon be able to test.

G. Lapenta, J. Berchem, M. Zhou, et. al.
Tue, 14 Feb 17
15/71

Comments: to appear on J. Geophys. Res

# Numerical modeling of laser-driven experiments aiming to demonstrate magnetic field amplification via turbulent dynamo [CL]

The universe is permeated by magnetic fields, with strengths ranging from a femtogauss in the voids between the filaments of galaxy clusters to several teragauss in black holes and neutron stars. The standard model behind cosmological magnetic fields is the nonlinear amplification of seed fields via turbulent dynamo to the values observed. We have conceived experiments that aim to demonstrate and study the turbulent dynamo mechanism in the laboratory. Here we describe the design of these experiments through simulation campaigns using FLASH, a highly capable radiation magnetohydrodynamics code that we have developed, and large-scale three-dimensional simulations on the Mira supercomputer at Argonne National Laboratory. The simulation results indicate that the experimental platform may be capable of reaching a turbulent plasma state and study dynamo amplification. We validate and compare our numerical results with a small subset of experimental data using synthetic diagnostics.

P. Tzeferacos, A. Rigby, A. Bott, et. al.
Mon, 13 Feb 17
5/57

Comments: Accepted for publication on Physics of Plasmas, 15 pages 12 figures

# Laboratory evidence of dynamo amplification of magnetic fields in a turbulent plasma [CL]

Magnetic fields are ubiquitous in the Universe. Extragalactic disks, halos and clusters have consistently been shown, via diffuse radio-synchrotron emission and Faraday rotation measurements, to exhibit magnetic field strengths ranging from a few nG to tens of $\mu$G. The energy density of these fields is typically comparable to the energy density of the fluid motions of the plasma in which they are embedded, making magnetic fields essential players in the dynamics of the luminous matter. The standard theoretical model for the origin of these strong magnetic fields is through the amplification of tiny seed fields via turbulent dynamo to the level consistent with current observations. Here we demonstrate, using laser-produced colliding plasma flows, that turbulence is indeed capable of rapidly amplifying seed fields to near equipartition with the turbulent fluid motions. These results support the notion that turbulent dynamo is a viable mechanism responsible for the observed present-day magnetization of the Universe.

P. Tzeferacos, A. Rigby, A. Bott, et. al.
Mon, 13 Feb 17
10/57

Comments: Submitted for publication, 5 pages 4 figures with supplementary information (25 pages 9 figures)

# Evolving waves and turbulence in the outer corona and inner heliosphere: the accelerating expanding box [SSA]

Alfv\’enic fluctuations in the solar wind display many properties reflecting an ongoing nonlinear cascade, e.g. a well-defined spectrum in frequency, together with some characteristics more commonly associated with the linear propagation of waves from the Sun, such as the variation of fluctuation amplitude with distance, dominated by solar wind expansion effects. Therefore both nonlinearities and expansion must be included simultaneously in any successful model of solar wind turbulence evolution. Because of the disparate spatial scales involved, direct numerical simulations of turbulence in the solar wind represent an arduous task, especially if one wants to go beyond the incompressible approximation. Indeed, most simulations neglect solar wind expansion effects entirely. Here we develop a numerical model to simulate turbulent fluctuations from the outer corona to 1 AU and beyond, including the sub-Alfv\’enic corona. The accelerating expanding box (AEB) extends the validity of previous expanding box models by taking into account both the acceleration of the solar wind and the inhomogeneity of background density and magnetic field. Our method incorporates a background accelerating wind within a magnetic field that naturally follows the Parker spiral evolution using a two-scale analysis in which the macroscopic spatial effect coupling fluctuations with background gradients becomes a time-dependent coupling term in a homogeneous box. In this paper we describe the AEB model in detail and discuss its main properties, illustrating its validity by studying Alfv\’en wave propagation across the Alfv\’en critical point.

A. Tenerani and M. Velli
Mon, 13 Feb 17
16/57

Comments: 19 pages, 6 Figures. Submitted to the ApJ

# Nonlinear reconnecting edge localized modes in tokamaks [CL]

Nonlinear edge localized modes in a tokamak are examined using global three-dimensional resistive magnetohydrodynamics simulations. Coherent current-carrying filament (ribbon-like) structures wrapped around the torus are nonlinearly formed due to nonaxisymmetric reconnecting current sheet instabilities, the so called peeling-like edge localized modes. These fast growing modes saturate by breaking axisymmetric current layers isolated near the plasma edge and go through repetitive relaxation cycles by expelling current radially outward and relaxing it back. The local bi-directional fluctuation-induced electromotive force (emf) from the edge localized modes, the dynamo action, relaxes the axisymmetric current density and forms current holes near the edge.

F. Ebrahimi
Fri, 10 Feb 17
39/46

Comments: 5 pages, 5 figures

# Universal small-scale structure in turbulence driven by magnetorotational instability [HEAP]

The intermittent small-scale structure of turbulence governs energy dissipation in many astrophysical plasmas and is often believed to have universal properties for sufficiently large systems. In this work, we argue that small-scale turbulence in accretion disks is universal in the sense that it is insensitive to the magnetorotational instability (MRI) and background shear, and therefore indistinguishable from standard homogeneous magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence at small scales. We investigate the intermittency of current density, vorticity, and energy dissipation in numerical simulations of incompressible MHD turbulence driven by the MRI in a shearing box. We find that the simulations exhibit a similar degree of intermittency as in standard MHD turbulence. We perform a statistical analysis of intermittent dissipative structures and find that energy dissipation is concentrated in thin sheet-like structures that span a wide range of scales up to the box size. We show that these structures exhibit strikingly similar statistical properties to those in standard MHD turbulence. Additionally, the structures are oriented in the toroidal direction with a characteristic tilt of approximately 17.5 degrees, implying an effective guide field in that direction.

V. Zhdankin, J. Walker, S. Boldyrev, et. al.
Fri, 10 Feb 17
43/46

Comments: 9 pages, 11 figures, to appear in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

# Generalized phase mixing: Turbulence-like behaviour from unidirectionally propagating MHD waves [SSA]

We present the results of three-dimensional (3D) ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations on the dynamics of a perpendicularly inhomogeneous plasma disturbed by propagating Alfv\’enic waves. Simpler versions of this scenario have been extensively studied as the phenomenon of phase mixing. We show that, by generalizing the textbook version of phase mixing, interesting phenomena are obtained, such as turbulence-like behavior and complex current-sheet structure, a novelty in longitudinally homogeneous plasma excited by unidirectionally propagating waves. This constitutes an important finding for turbulence-related phenomena in astrophysics in general, relaxing the conditions that have to be fulfilled in order to generate turbulent behavior.

N. Magyar, T. Doorsselaere and M. Goossens
Thu, 9 Feb 17
29/67

# Preferential Heating and Acceleration of Heavy Ions in Impulsive Solar Flares [CL]

We simulate decaying turbulence in a homogeneous pair plasma using three dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) method. A uniform background magnetic field permeates the plasma such that the magnetic pressure is three times larger than the thermal pressure and the turbulence is generated by counter-propagating shear Alfv\’en waves. The energy predominately cascades transverse to the background magnetic field, rendering the turbulence anisotropic at smaller scales. We simultaneously move several ion species of varying charge to mass ratios in our simulation and show that the particles of smaller charge to mass ratios are heated and accelerated to non-thermal energies at a faster rate, in accordance with the enhancement of heavy ions and non-thermal tail in their energy spectrum observed in the impulsive solar flares. We further show that the heavy ions are energized mostly in the direction perpendicular to the background magnetic field with a rate consistent with our analytical estimate of the rate of heating due to cyclotron resonance with the Alfv\’en waves of which a large fraction is due to obliquely propagating waves.

R. Kumar, D. Eichler, M. Gaspari, et. al.
Wed, 8 Feb 17
58/65

Comments: 6 pages, 7 figures

# On the Helium fingers in the intracluster medium [GA]

The primary goal of this paper is to build upon the machinery usually employed to study the salt finger instability in order to address the onset of the similar double diffusive convection phenomenon in the intracluster medium — the weakly-collisional magnetized inhomogeneous plasma permeating galaxy clusters; and subsequently, to investigate the nature of the width of the analogous Helium fingers in the supercritical regime of the instability. Specifically, we conclude that the width of the Helium fingers scales as one-fourth power of the radius of the inner region of the ICM. In the process, we also find out the explicit mathematical expression of the criterion for the onset of the heat-flux-driven buoyancy instability modified by the presence of inhomogeneously distributed Helium ions in the galaxy cluster. This criterion incorporates the contribution of the magnetic tension into it.

S. Sadhukhan, H. Gupta and S. Chakraborty
Tue, 7 Feb 17
25/64

Comments: 7 pages, 1 figure

# Brightness temperature of radio zebras and wave energy densities in their sources [SSA]

We estimated the brightness temperature of radio zebras (zebra pattern – ZP), considering that ZPs are generated in the loops having in their cross-section the exponential density profile. We took into account that when in plasma there is the source emitting in all directions then in an escape process from the plasma the emission obtains directional character nearly perpendicular to the constant density profile. Owing to a high directivity of the plasma emission the region from which the emission escapes can be very small. We estimated the brightness temperature of three observed ZPs for two values of the density height scale (1 and 0.21 Mm) and two values of the loop width (1 and 2 arcsec). In all cases high brightness temperatures were obtained. For the higher value of the the density height scale the brightness temperature was estimated as 1.1$\times$10$^{15}$ – 1.3 $\times$10$^{17}$, and for the lower value as 4.7$\times$10$^{13}$ – 5.6 $\times$10$^{15}$. These temperatures show that the observation probability of the burst with ZP, that is generated in the transition region with a steep gradient of the plasma density, is significantly higher than for the burst generated in the region with smoother changes of the plasma density. We also computed the saturation energy density of the upper-hybrid waves using a 3-D particle-in-cell model with the loss-cone type of distribution of hot electrons. We found that this saturated energy is proportional to the ratio of hot electron and background plasma densities. Thus, comparing the growth rate and collisional damping of the upper-hybrid waves we estimated minimal densities of hot electrons as well as minimal value of the saturation energy density of the upper-hybrid waves. Finally, we compared the computed energy density of the upper-hybrid waves with the energy density of the electromagnetic waves in the zebra.

L. Yasnov, J. Benacek and M. Karlicky
Tue, 7 Feb 17
35/64

Comments: 12 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables

# The formation of magnetic depletions and flux annihilation due to reconnection in the heliosheath [CL]

The misalignment of the solar rotation axis and the magnetic axis of the Sun produces a periodic reversal of the Parker spiral magnetic field and the sectored solar wind. The compression of the sectors is expected to lead to reconnection in the heliosheath (HS). We present particle-in-cell simulations of the sectored HS that reflect the plasma environment along the Voyager 1 and 2 trajectories, specifically including unequal positive and negative azimuthal magnetic flux as seen in the Voyager data \citep{Burlaga03}. Reconnection proceeds on individual current sheets until islands on adjacent current layers merge. At late time bands of the dominant flux survive, separated by bands of deep magnetic field depletion. The ambient plasma pressure supports the strong magnetic pressure variation so that pressure is anti-correlated with magnetic field strength. There is little variation in the magnetic field direction across the boundaries of the magnetic depressions. At irregular intervals within the magnetic depressions are long-lived pairs of magnetic islands where the magnetic field direction reverses so that spacecraft data would reveal sharp magnetic field depressions with only occasional crossings with jumps in magnetic field direction. This is typical of the magnetic field data from the Voyager spacecraft \citep{Burlaga11,Burlaga16}. Voyager 2 data reveals that fluctuations in the density and magnetic field strength are anti-correlated in the sector zone as expected from reconnection but not in unipolar regions. The consequence of the annihilation of subdominant flux is a sharp reduction in the “number of sectors” and a loss in magnetic flux as documented from the Voyager 1 magnetic field and flow data \citep{Richardson13}.

J. Drake, M. Swisdak, M. Opher, et. al.
Tue, 7 Feb 17
60/64

# Particle acceleration model for the broadband baseline spectrum of the Crab nebula [HEAP]

We develop a simple one-zone model of the steady-state Crab nebula spectrum encompassing both the radio/soft $X$-ray and the GeV/multi-TeV observations. We determine analytically the photon differential energy spectrum as originated by an electron distribution evolved from a log-parabola injection spectrum: we find an impressive agreement with the synchrotron region observations whereas synchrotron self-Compton accommodates the previously unsolved origin of the broad $200$ GeV peak that matches the Fermi/LAT data beyond $1$ GeV with the MAGIC data. We determine the parameters of the log-parabola electron distribution, ruling out a simple power-law. The scale of the acceleration region is found to be $\sim 3.8 \times 10^{-4}$ pc. The resulting photon differential spectrum provides a natural interpretation of the deviation from power-law customarily fit with empirical broken power-laws. Our model can be applied to the radio-to-multi-TeV spectrum of a variety of astrophysical sources of relativistic flows as well as to fast interplanetary shocks.

F. Fraschetti and M. Pohl
Mon, 6 Feb 17
4/43

Comments: 8 pages, 7 figures. Submitted. Comments welcome

# How Electron Two-Stream Instability Drives Cyclic Langmuir Collapse and Continuous Coherent Emission [CL]

Continuous plasma coherent emission is maintained by repetitive Langmuir collapse driven by the nonlinear evolution of a strong electron two-stream instability. The Langmuir waves are modulated by solitary waves in the linear stage, and by electrostatic whistler waves in the nonlinear stage. Modulational instability leads to Langmuir collapse and electron heating that fills in cavitons. The high pressure is released via excitation of a short wavelength ion acoustic mode that is damped by electrons and that re-excites small-scale Langmuir waves—this process closes a feedback loop that maintains the continuous coherent emission.

H. Che, M. Goldstein, P. Diamond, et. al.
Mon, 6 Feb 17
9/43

Comments: 1/30/2017, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

# Coarse-Grained Incompressible Magnetohydrodynamics: analyzing the turbulent cascades [SSA]

We formulate a coarse-graining approach to the dynamics of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluids at a continuum of length-scales. In this methodology, effective equations are derived for the observable velocity and magnetic fields spatially-averaged at an arbitrary scale of resolution. The microscopic equations for the bare velocity and magnetic fields are renormalized by coarse-graining to yield macroscopic effective equations that contain both a subscale stress and a subscale electromotive force (EMF) generated by nonlinear interaction of eliminated fields and plasma motions. At large coarse-graining length-scales, the direct dissipation of invariants by microscopic mechanisms (such as molecular viscosity and Spitzer resistivity) is shown to be negligible. The balance at large scales is dominated instead by the subscale nonlinear terms, which can transfer invariants across scales, and are interpreted in terms of work concepts for energy and in terms of topological flux-linkage for the two helicities. An important application of this approach is to MHD turbulence, where the coarse-graining length $\ell$ lies in the inertial cascade range. We show that in the case of sufficiently rough velocity and/or magnetic fields, the nonlinear inter-scale transfer need not vanish and can persist to arbitrarily small scales. Although closed expressions are not available for subscale stress and subscale EMF, we derive rigorous upper bounds on the effective dissipation they produce in terms of scaling exponents of the velocity and magnetic fields. These bounds provide exact constraints on phenomenological theories of MHD turbulence in order to allow the nonlinear cascade of energy and cross-helicity. On the other hand, we show that the forward cascade of magnetic helicity to asymptotically small scales is impossible unless 3rd-order moments of either velocity or magnetic field become infinite.

H. Aluie
Tue, 31 Jan 17
29/58

Comments: 33 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the special issue “Focus on Turbulence in Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas” of the New Journal of Physics

# Exact collisional plasma fluid theories [CL]

An expansion of the velocity space distribution functions in terms of multi-index Hermite polynomials is carried out to derive a consistent set of collisional fluid equations for plasmas. The velocity-space moments of the often troublesome nonlinear Landau collision operator are evaluated exactly, and to all orders with respect to the expansion. The collisional moments are shown to be generated by applying gradients on two well-known functions, namely the Rosenbluth-MacDonald-Judd-Trubnikov potentials for a Gaussian distribution. The expansion can be truncated at arbitrary order with quantifiable error, providing a consistent and systematic alternative to the Chapman-Enskog procedure which, in plasma physics, boils down to the famous Braginskii equations. To illustrate our approach, we provide the collisional ten-moment equations and prove explicitly that the exact, nonlinear expressions for the momentum- and energy-transfer rate satisfy the correct conservation properties.

D. Pfefferle, E. Hirvijoki and M. Lingam
Mon, 30 Jan 17
37/41

# Kinetic and radiative power from optically thin accretion flows [HEAP]

We perform a set of general relativistic, radiative, magneto-hydrodynamical simulations (GR-RMHD) to study the transition from radiatively inefficient to efficient state of accretion on a non-rotating black hole. We study ion to electron temperature ratios ranging from $T_{\rm i}/T_{\rm e}=$ 10 to 100, and simulate flows corresponding to accretion rates as low as 10$^{-6}\,\dot M_{\rm Edd}$, and as high as 10$^{-2}\,\dot M_{\rm Edd}$. We have found that the radiative output of accretion flows increases with accretion rate, and that the transition occurs earlier for hotter electrons (lower $T_{\rm i}/T_{\rm e}$ ratio). At the same time, the mechanical efficiency hardly changes and accounts to $\approx$ 3% of the accreted rest mass energy flux, even at the highest simulated accretion rates. This is particularly important for the mechanical AGN feedback regulating massive galaxies, groups, and clusters. Comparison with recent observations of radiative and mechanical AGN luminosities suggests that the ion to electron temperature ratio in the inner, collisionless accretion flow should fall within 10 $<T_{\rm i}/T_{\rm e}<$ 30, i.e., the electron temperature should be several percent of the ion temperature.

A. Sadowski and M. Gaspari
Thu, 26 Jan 17
56/68

Comments: 7 pages, 3 figures; submitted to MNRAS | feedback is welcome

# Electron cyclotron maser instability (ECMI) in strong magnetic guide field reconnection [CL]

Reconnection in strong current-aligned magnetic guide fields allows for the excitation of the electron-cyclotron-maser instability and emission of electromagnetic radiationfrom the electron exhaust at the {\sf X} point. The electrons in the guide field remain magnetized, with reconnection barely affected. The guide field is responsible for the asymmetric properties of the {\sf X} point and exhaust. Asymmetry in the electron population results in conditions favorable for ECMI. Fundamental mission beneath the guide field cyclotron is similar to electron hole emission discussed elsewhere. It can be treated in the proper exhaust frame, and maps the local magnetic field when moving together with the exhaust along the guide field. Many applications of this mechanism can be imagined. We propose an outline of the mechanism and discuss some of its advantages and prospects. Among potential applications are AKR in auroral physics, various types of solar radio emissions during flares, planetary emissions and several astrophysical scenarios involving the presence of strong fields and field-aligned currents. Escape of radiation from {\sf X} is no problem. However, observation from remote requires traversing the stop-band of X modes and implies source displacements to weaker fields.
Keywords: Electron cyclotron maser, radio emissions, radio bursts, reconnection, auroral physics, AKR, solar radiation, pulsars

R. Treumann and W. Baumjohann
Wed, 25 Jan 17
57/74

Comments: 14 pages, 6 figures

# Generalized Magnetofluid Connections in Pair Plasmas [CL]

We extend the magnetic connection theorem of ideal magnetohydrodynamics to nonideal relativistic pair plasmas. Adopting a generalized Ohm’s law, we prove the existence of generalized magnetofluid connections that are preserved by the plasma dynamics. We show that these connections are related to a general antisymmetric tensor that unifies the electromagnetic and fluid fields. The generalized magnetofluid connections set important constraints on the plasma dynamics by forbidding transitions between configurations with different magnetofluid connectivity. An approximated solution is explicitly shown where the corrections due to current inertial effects are found.

F. Asenjo, L. Comisso and S. Mahajan
Fri, 20 Jan 17
40/51

# Conductivity spectrum and dispersion relation in solar wind turbulence [CL]

Magnetic turbulence in the solar wind is treated from the point of view of electrodynamics. This can be done based on the use of Poynting’s theorem attributing all turbulent dynamics to the spectrum of turbulent conductivity. For two directions of propagation of the turbulent fluctuations of the electromagnetic field with respect to the mean plus external magnetic fields an expression is constructed for the spectrum of turbulent dissipation. Use of solar wind observations of electromagnetic power spectral densities in the inertial subrange then allows determination of the conductivity spectrum, the dissipative response function, in this range. It requires observations of the complete electromagnetic spectral energy densities including electric power spectral densities. The dissipative response function and dispersion relation of solar wind inertial range magnetic turbulence are obtained. The dispersion relation indicates the spatial scale decay with increasing frequency providing independent support for the use of Taylor’s hypothesis. The dissipation function indicates an approximate shot-noise spectrum of turbulent resistivity in the inertial range suggesting progressive structure formation in the inertial range which hints on the presence of discrete mode turbulence and nonlinear resonances.

R. Treumann and W. Baumjohann
Thu, 19 Jan 17
39/42

Comments: 7 pages, no figures, preprint

# Characterizing Fluid and Kinetic Instabilities using Field-Particle Correlations on Single-Point Time Series [CL]

A recently proposed technique correlating electric fields and particle velocity distributions is applied to single-point time series extracted from linearly unstable, electrostatic numerical simulations. The form of the correlation, which measures the transfer of phase-space energy density between the electric field and plasma distributions and had previously been applied to damped electrostatic systems, is modified to include the effects of drifting equilibrium distributions of the type that drive counter-streaming and bump-on-tail instabilities. By using single-point time series, the correlation is ideal for diagnosing dynamics in systems where access to integrated quantities, such as energy, is observationally infeasible. The velocity-space structure of the field-particle correlation is shown to characterize the underlying physical mechanisms driving unstable systems. The use of this correlation in simple systems will assist in its eventual application to turbulent, magnetized plasmas, with the ultimate goal of characterizing the nature of mechanisms that damp turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind.

K. Klein
Mon, 16 Jan 17
29/55

Comments: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Physics of Plasmas

# Sustained turbulence and magnetic energy in non-rotating shear flows [CL]

From numerical simulations, we show that non-rotating magnetohydrodynamic shear flows are unstable to finite amplitude velocity perturbations and become turbulent, leading to the growth and sustenance of magnetic energy, including large scale fields. This supports the concept that sustained magnetic energy from turbulence is independent of the driving mechanism for large enough magnetic Reynolds numbers.

F. Nauman and E. Blackman
Mon, 16 Jan 17
39/55

Comments: 5 pages, 5 figures, under review in PRL

# Proton fire hose instabilities in the expanding solar wind [CL]

Using two-dimensional hybrid expanding box simulations we study the competition between the continuously driven parallel proton temperature anisotropy and fire hose instabilities in collisionless homogeneous plasmas. For quasi radial ambient magnetic field the expansion drives $T_{\mathrm{p}\|}>T_{\mathrm{p}\perp}$ and the system becomes eventually unstable with respect to the dominant parallel fire hose instability. This instability is generally unable to counteract the induced anisotropization and the system typically becomes unstable with respect to the oblique fire hose instability later on. The oblique instability efficiently reduces the anisotropy and the system rapidly stabilizes while a significant part of the generated electromagnetic fluctuations is damped to protons. As long as the magnetic field is in the quasi radial direction, this evolution repeats itself and the electromagnetic fluctuations accumulate. For sufficiently oblique magnetic field the expansion drives $T_{\mathrm{p}\perp}>T_{\mathrm{p}\|}$ and brings the system to the stable region with respect to the fire hose instabilities.

P. Hellinger
Mon, 16 Jan 17
49/55

Comments: Journal of Plasma Physics, 14 pages, 9 figures

# Amplitude limits and nonlinear damping of shear-Alfvén waves in high-beta low-collisionality plasmas [CL]

This work, which extends Squire et al. [ApJL, 830 L25 (2016)], explores the effect of self-generated pressure anisotropy on linearly polarized shear-Alfv\’en fluctuations in low-collisionality plasmas. Such anisotropies lead to stringent limits on the amplitude of magnetic perturbations in high-beta plasmas, above which a fluctuation can destabilize itself through the parallel firehose instability. This causes the wave frequency to approach zero, “interrupting” the wave and stopping its oscillation. These effects are explored in detail in the collisionless and weakly collisional “Braginskii” regime, for both standing and traveling waves. The focus is on simplified models in one dimension, on scales much larger than the ion gyroradius. The effect has interesting implications for the physics of magnetized turbulence in the high-beta conditions that are prevalent in many astrophysical plasmas.

J. Squire, A. Schekochihin and E. Quataert
Fri, 13 Jan 17
1/44

# Gravitational instabilities in nearby star-forming spirals: the impact of observed CO and HI velocity dispersions [GA]

The velocity dispersion of cold interstellar gas, sigma, is one of the quantities that most radically affect the onset of gravitational instabilities in galaxy discs, and the quantity that is most drastically approximated in stability analyses. Here we analyse the stability of a large sample of nearby star-forming spirals treating molecular gas, atomic gas and stars as three distinct components, and using radial profiles of sigma_CO and sigma_HI derived from HERACLES and THINGS observations. We show that the radial variations of sigma_CO and sigma_HI have a weak effect on the local stability level of galaxy discs, which remains remarkably flat and well above unity, but is low enough to ensure (marginal) instability against non-axisymmetric perturbations and gas dissipation. More importantly, the radial variation of sigma_CO has a strong impact on the size of the regions over which gravitational instabilities develop, and results in a characteristic instability scale that is one order of magnitude larger than the Toomre length of molecular gas. Disc instabilities are driven, in fact, by the self-gravity of stars at kpc scales. This is true across the entire optical disc of every galaxy in the sample, with few exceptions. In the linear phase of the disc instability process, stars and molecular gas are strongly coupled, and it is such a coupling that ultimately triggers local gravitational collapse/fragmentation in the molecular gas.

A. Romeo and K. Mogotsi
Tue, 10 Jan 17
34/75

Comments: Submitted to MNRAS

# The Topology of Canonical Flux Tubes in Flared Jet Geometry [HEAP]

Magnetized plasma jets are generally modeled as magnetic flux tubes filled with flowing plasma governed by magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). We outline here a more fundamental approach based on flux tubes of canonical vorticity, where canonical vorticity is defined as the circulation of the species canonical momentum. This approach extends the concept of magnetic flux tube evolution to include the effects of finite particle momentum and enables visualization of the topology of plasma jets in regimes beyond MHD. A flared, current-carrying magnetic flux tube in an ion-electron plasma with finite ion momentum is thus equivalent to either a pair of electron and ion flow flux tubes, a pair of electron and ion canonical momentum flux tubes, or a pair of electron and ion canonical vorticity flux tubes. We examine the morphology of all these flux tubes for increasing electrical currents, different radial current profiles, different electron Mach numbers, and a fixed, flared, axisymmetric magnetic geometry. Calculations of gauge-invariant relative canonical helicities track the evolution of magnetic, cross, and kinetic helicities in the system, and show that ion flow fields can unwind to compensate for an increasing magnetic twist. The results demonstrate that including a species finite momentum can result in a very long collimated canonical vorticity flux tube even if the magnetic flux tube is flared. With finite momentum, particle density gradients must be normal to canonical vorticities, not to magnetic fields, so observations of collimated astrophysical jets could be images of canonical vorticity flux tubes instead of magnetic flux tubes.

E. Lavine and S. You
Tue, 10 Jan 17
38/75

Comments: 27 pages, colour figures, accepted by ApJ

# Coupling between Ion-Acoustic Waves and Neutrino Oscillations [CL]

The work investigates the coupling between ion-acoustic waves and neutrino flavor oscillations in a non-relativistic electron-ion plasma under the influence of a mixed neutrino beam. Neutrino oscillations are mediated by the flavor polarization vector dynamics in a material medium. The linear dispersion relation around homogeneous static equilibria is developed. When resonant with the ion-acoustic mode, the neutrino flavor oscillations can transfer energy to the plasma exciting a new fast unstable mode in extreme astrophysical scenarios. The growth rate and the unstable wavelengths are determined in typical type II supernovae parameters. The predictions can be useful for a new indirect probe on neutrino oscillations in nature.

F. Haas, K. Pascoal and J. Mendonca
Mon, 9 Jan 17
35/52

# Poynting theorem in magnetic turbulence [CL]

Poynting’s theorem is used to obtain an expression for the turbulent power-spectral density as function of frequency in low-frequency magnetic turbulence. No reference is made to Elsasser variables as is usually done in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence mixing mechanical and electromagnetic turbulence. We rather stay with an implicit form of the mechanical part of turbulence as suggested by electromagnetic theory in arbitrary media. All of mechanics and flows is included into a turbulent response function which by appropriate observations can be determined from knowledge of the turbulent fluctuation spectra. This approach is not guided by the wish of developing a complete theory of turbulence. It aims on the identification of the reponse function from observations as input into a theory which afterwards attempts its interpretation. Combination of both the magnetic and electric power spectral densities leads to a representation of the turbulent response function, i.e. the turbulent conductivity spectrum $\sigma_\omega$ as function of frequency $\omega$. {It is given as the ratio of magnetic to electric power spectral densities in frequency space. This knowledge allows for formally writing down a turbulent dispersion relation. Power law inertial range spectra result in a power law turbulent conductivity spectrum. These can be compared with observations in the solar wind.
Keywords: MHD turbulence, turbulent dispersion relation, turbulent response function, solar wind turbulence

R. Treumann and W. Baumjohann
Fri, 6 Jan 17
20/46

Comments: 14 pages, no figures, to appear in Ann Geophys

# Reynolds-number dependence of the dimensionless dissipation rate in homogeneous magnetohydrodynamic turbulence [CL]

This paper examines the behavior of the dimensionless dissipation rate $C_{\varepsilon}$ for stationary and nonstationary magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in presence of external forces. By combining with previous studies for freely decaying MHD turbulence, we obtain here both the most general model equation for $C_{\varepsilon}$ applicable to homogeneous MHD turbulence and a comprehensive numerical study of the Reynolds number dependence of the dimensionless total energy dissipation rate at unity magnetic Prandtl number. We carry out a series of medium to high resolution direct numerical simulations of mechanically forced stationary MHD turbulence in order to verify the predictions of the model equation for the stationary case. Furthermore, questions of nonuniversality are discussed in terms of the effect of external forces as well as the level of cross- and magnetic helicity. The measured values of the asymptote $C_{\varepsilon,\infty}$ lie between $0.193 \leqslant C_{\varepsilon,\infty} \leqslant 0.268$ for free decay, where the value depends on the initial level of cross- and magnetic helicities. In the stationary case we measure $C_{\varepsilon,\infty} = 0.223$.

M. Linkmann, A. Berera and E. Goldstraw
Thu, 5 Jan 17
37/58

Comments: 18 pages, 2 figures

# A Model for Dissipation of Solar Wind Magnetic Turbulence by Kinetic Alfvén Waves at Electron Scales: Comparison with Observations [SSA]

In hydrodynamic turbulence, it is well established that the length of the dissipation scale depends on the energy cascade rate, i.e., the larger the energy input rate per unit mass, the more the turbulent fluctuations need to be driven to increasingly smaller scales to dissipate the larger energy flux. Observations of magnetic spectral energy densities indicate that this intuitive picture is not valid in solar wind turbulence. Dissipation seems to set in at the same length scale for different solar wind conditions independently of the energy flux. To investigate this difference in more detail, we present an analytic dissipation model for solar wind turbulence at electron scales, which we compare with observed spectral densities. Our model combines the energy transport from large to small scales and collisionless damping, which removes energy from the magnetic fluctuations in the kinetic regime. We assume wave-particle interactions of kinetic Alfv\'{e}n waves (KAW) to be the main damping process. Wave frequencies and damping rates of KAW are obtained from the hot plasma dispersion relation. Our model assumes a critically balanced turbulence, where larger energy cascade rates excite larger parallel wavenumbers for a certain perpendicular wavenumber. If the dissipation is additionally wave driven such that the dissipation rate is proportional to the parallel wavenumber – as with KAW – then an increase of the energy cascade rate is counter-balanced by an increased dissipation rate for the same perpendicular wavenumber leading to a dissipation length independent of the energy cascade rate.

A. Schreiner and J. Saur
Wed, 4 Jan 17
13/39

# Diagnosing Coronal Heating Processes with Spectrally Resolved Soft X-ray Measurements [IMA]

Decades of astrophysical observations have convincingly shown that soft X-ray (SXR; ~0.1–10 keV) emission provides unique diagnostics for the high temperature plasmas observed in solar flares and active regions. SXR observations critical for constraining models of energy release in these phenomena can be provided using instruments that have already been flown on sounding rockets and CubeSats, including miniaturized high-resolution photon-counting spectrometers and a novel diffractive spectral imager. These instruments have relatively low cost and high TRL, and would complement a wide range of mission concepts. In this white paper, we detail the scientific background and open questions motivating these instruments, the measurements required, and the instruments themselves that will make groundbreaking progress in answering these questions.

A. Caspi, A. Shih, H. Warren, et. al.
Wed, 4 Jan 17
17/39

Comments: 4 text pages (incl. refs); 3 figures … White paper submitted to the Scientific Objectives Team of the Next-Generation Solar Physics Mission

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# Electron Acceleration Mechanisms in Thunderstorms [HEAP]

Thunderstorms produce strong electric fields over regions on the order of kilometer. The corresponding electric potential differences are on the order of 100 MV. Secondary cosmic rays reaching these regions may be significantly accelerated and even amplified in relativistic runaway avalanche processes. These phenomena lead to enhancements of the high-energy background radiation observed by detectors on the ground and on board aircraft. Moreover, intense submillisecond gamma-ray bursts named terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) produced in thunderstorms are detected from low Earth orbit satellites. When passing through the atmosphere, these gamma-rays are recognized to produce secondary relativistic electrons and positrons rapidly trapped in the geomagnetic field and injected into the near-Earth space environment. In the present work, we attempt to give an overview of the current state of research on high-energy phenomena associated with thunderstorms.

S. Celestin
Tue, 3 Jan 17
8/55

Comments: XXV ECRS 2016 Proceedings – eConf C16-09-04.3