Two dimensional particle in cell simulations of free charge creation by collisional ionization of C12 and C60 molecules immersed in plasma for the parameters of relevance to plasma gasification are presented. Our main findings are that (i) in uniform
plasmas with smooth walls two optimal values which emerge for free electron production by collisional ionization (i.e. a most efficient discharge condition creation) are $C60:C12$ fractions of $10:90$ and $80:20$, (ii) in plasmas with rough walls, modelled by comb-like electric field at the boundary, the case of tangential electric field creates significant charge localization in C12+ and C60+ species, again creating most favorable discharge condition for tribo-electrically generated plasma. The numerical simulation results are discussed with reference to recent triboelectric plasma experiments and are corroborated by suitable analytical models.
In the previous works harmonic, phase-mixed, Alfven wave dynamics was considered both in the kinetic and magnetohydrodynamic regimes. Up today only magnetohydrodynamic, phase-mixed, Gaussian Alfven pulses were investigated. In the present work we ext
end this into kinetic regime. Here phase-mixed, Gaussian Alfven pulses are studied, which are more appropriate for solar flares, than harmonic waves, as the flares are impulsive in nature. Collisionless, phase-mixed, dispersive, Gaussian Alfven pulse in transversely inhomogeneous plasma is investigated by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations and by an analytical model. The pulse is in inertial regime with plasma beta less than electron-to-ion mass ratio and has a spatial width of 12 ion inertial length. The linear analytical model predicts that the pulse amplitude decrease is described by the linear Korteweg de Vries (KdV) equation. The numerical and analytical solution of the linear KdV equation produces the pulse amplitude decrease in time as $t^{-1}$. The latter scaling law is corroborated by full PIC simulations. It is shown that the pulse amplitude decrease is due to dispersive effects, while electron acceleration is due to Landau damping of the phase-mixed waves. The established amplitude decrease in time as $t^{-1}$ is different from the MHD scaling of $t^{-3/2}$. This can be attributed to the dispersive effects resulting in the different scaling compared to MHD, where the resistive effects cause the damping, in turn, enhanced by the inhomogeneity. Reducing background plasma temperature and increase in ion mass yields more efficient particle acceleration.
The motivation for this study is to include the effect of plasma flow in Alfven wave (AW) damping via phase mixing and to explore the observational implications. Our magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations and analytical calculations show that, when a
background flow is present, mathematical expressions for the AW damping via phase mixing are modified by the following substitution: $C_A^prime(x) to C_A^prime(x)+V_0^prime(x)$, where $C_A$ and $V_0$ are AW phase and the flow speeds, and the prime denotes a derivative in the direction across the background magnetic field. In uniform magnetic fields and over-dense plasma structures, where $C_A$ is smaller than in the surrounding plasma, the flow, which is confined to the structure and going in the same direction as the AW, reduces the effect of phase-mixing, because on the edges of the structure $C_A^prime$ and $V_0^prime$ have opposite signs. Thus, the wave damps by means of slower phase-mixing compared to the case without the flow. This is the result of the co-directional flow that reduces the wave front stretching in the transverse direction. We apply our findings to addressing the question why over-dense solar coronal open magnetic field structures (OMFS) are cooler than the background plasma. Observations show that the over-dense OMFS (e.g. solar coronal polar plumes) are cooler than surrounding plasma and that, in these structures, Doppler line-broadening is consistent with bulk plasma motions, such as AW. If over-dense solar coronal OMFS are heated by AW damping via phase-mixing, we show that, co-directional with AW, plasma flow in them reduces the phase-mixing induced-heating, thus providing an explanation of why they appear cooler than the background.
The out-of-plane magnetic field, generated by fast magnetic reconnection, during collisionless, stressed $X$-point collapse, was studied with a kinetic, 2.5D, fully electromagnetic, relativistic particle-in-cell numerical code, using both closed (flu
x conserving) and open boundary conditions on a square grid. It was discovered that the well known quadrupolar structure in the out-of-plane magnetic field gains four additional regions of opposite magnetic polarity, emerging near the corners of the simulation box, moving towards the $X$-point. The emerging, outer, magnetic field structure has opposite polarity to the inner quadrupolar structure, leading to an overall octupolar structure. Using Amperes law and integrating electron and ion currents, defined at grid cells, over the simulation domain, contributions to the out-of-plane magnetic field from electron and ion currents were determined. The emerging regions of opposite magnetic polarity were shown to be the result of ion currents. Magnetic octupolar structure is found to be a signature of $X$-point collapse, rather than tearing mode, and factors relating to potential discoveries in experimental scenarios or space-craft observations are discussed.
Previous studies [Malara et al ApJ, 533, 523 (2000)] considered small-amplitude Alfven wave (AW) packets in Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) magnetic field using WKB approximation. In this work linearly polarised Alfven wave dynamics in ABC magnetic f
ield via direct 3D MHD numerical simulation is studied for the first time. Gaussian AW pulse with length-scale much shorter than ABC domain length and harmonic AW with wavelength equal to ABC domain length are studied for four different resistivities. While it is found that AWs dissipate quickly in the ABC field, surprisingly, AW perturbation energy increases in time. In the case of the harmonic AW perturbation energy growth is transient in time, attaining peaks in both velocity and magnetic perturbation energies within timescales much smaller than resistive time. In the case of the Gaussian AW pulse velocity perturbation energy growth is still transient in time, attaining a peak within few resistive times, while magnetic perturbation energy continues to grow. It is also shown that the total magnetic energy decreases in time and this is governed by the resistive evolution of the background ABC magnetic field rather than AW damping. On contrary, when background magnetic field is uniform, the total magnetic energy decrease is prescribed by AW damping, because there is no resistive evolution of the background. By considering runs with different amplitudes and by analysing perturbation spectra, possible dynamo action by AW perturbation-induced peristaltic flow and inverse cascade of magnetic energy have been excluded. Therefore, the perturbation energy growth is attributed to a new instability. The growth rate appears to be dependent on the value of the resistivity and spatial scale of the AW disturbance. Thus, when going beyond WKB approximation, AW damping, described by full MHD equations, does not guarantee decrease of perturbation energy.
A possible solution to the unexplained high intensity hard x-ray (HXR) emission observable during solar flares was investigated via 3D fully relativistic, electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with realistic ion to electron mass ratio. A
beam of accelerated electrons was injected into a magnetised, Maxwellian, homogeneous and inhomogeneous background plasma. The electron distribution function was unstable to the beam-plasma instability and was shown to generate Langmuir waves, while relaxing to plateau formation. In order to estimate the role of the background density gradient on an unbound (infinite spatial extent) beam, three different scenarios were investigated: a) a uniform density background; b) a weak density gradient, n_R/n_L=3; c) a strong gradient case, n_R/n_L=10, where n_R and n_L denote background electron densities on the left and right edges of the simulation box respectively. The strong gradient case produced the largest fraction of electrons beyond 15 v_th. Further, two cases (uniform and strong gradient background) with spatially localized beam injections were performed aiming to show drifts of the generated Langmuir wave wavenumbers, as suggested in previous studies. For the strong gradient case, the Langmuir wave power is shown to drift to smaller wavenumbers, as found in previous quasi-linear simulations.
Works of D. Tsiklauri, T. Haruki, Phys. of Plasmas, 15, 102902 (2008) and D. Tsiklauri and T. Haruki, Phys. of Plasmas, 14, 112905, (2007) are extended by inclusion of the out-of-plane magnetic (guide) field. In particular, magnetic reconnection duri
ng collisionless, stressed $X$-point collapse for varying out-of-plane guide-fields is studied using a kinetic, 2.5D, fully electromagnetic, relativistic particle-in-cell numerical code. Cases for both open and closed boundary conditions are investigated, where magnetic flux and particles are lost and conserved respectively. It is found that reconnection rates and out-of-plane currents in the $X$-point increase more rapidly and peak sooner in the closed boundary case, but higher values are reached in the open boundary case. The normalized reconnection rate is fast: 0.10-0.25. In the open boundary case an increase of guide-field yields later onsets in the reconnection peak rates, while in the closed boundary case initial peak rates occur sooner but are suppressed. The reconnection current increases for low guide-fields but then decreases similarly. In the open boundary case, for guide-fields of the order of the in-plane magnetic field, the generation of electron vortices occurs. Possible causes of the vortex generation, based on the flow of particles in the diffusion region and localized plasma heating, are discussed. Before peak reconnection onset, oscillations in the out-of-plane electric field at the $X$-point are found, ranging in frequency from approximately 1 to 2 $omega_{pe}$ and coinciding with oscillatory reconnection. These oscillations are found to be part of a larger wave pattern. Mapping the out-of-plane electric field over time and applying 2D Fourier transforms reveals that the waves predominantly correspond to the ordinary mode and may correspond to observable radio waves such as solar radio burst fine structure spikes.
Extensive particle-in-cell simulations of fast electron beams injected in a background magnetised plasma with a decreasing density profile were carried out. These simulations were intended to further shed light on a newly proposed mechanism for the g
eneration of electromagnetic waves in type III solar radio bursts [D. Tsiklauri, Phys. Plasmas, 18, 052903 (2011)]. The numerical simulations were carried out using different density profiles and fast electron distribution functions. It is shown that electromagnetic L and R modes are excited by the transverse current, initially imposed on the system. In the course of the simulations no further interaction of the electron beam with the background plasma could be observed.
The process of particle acceleration by left-hand, circularly polarised inertial Alfven waves (IAW) in a transversely inhomogeneous plasma is studied using 3D particle-in-cell simulation. A cylindrical tube with, transverse to the background magnetic
field, inhomogeneity scale of the order of ion inertial length is considered on which IAWs with frequency $0.3 omega_{ci}$ are launched that are allowed to develop three wavelength. As a result time-varying parallel electric fields are generated in the density gradient regions which accelerate electrons in the parallel to magnetic field direction. Driven perpendicular electric field of IAWs also heats ions in the transverse direction. Such numerical setup is relevant for solar flaring loops and earth auroral zone. This first, 3D, fully-kinetic simulation demonstrates electron acceleration efficiency in the density inhomogeneity regions, along the magnetic field, of the order of 45% and ion heating, in the transverse to the magnetic field direction, of 75%. The latter is a factor of two times higher than the previous 2.5D analogous study and is in accordance with solar flare particle acceleration observations. We find that the generated parallel electric field is localised in the density inhomogeneity region and rotates in the same direction and with the same angular frequency as the initially launched IAW. Our numerical simulations seem also to suggest that the knee often found in the solar flare electron spectra can alternatively be interpreted as the Landau damping (Cerenkov resonance effect) of IAWs due to the wave-particle interactions.
Dispersive Alfven waves (DAWs) offer, an alternative to magnetic reconnection, opportunity to accelerate solar flare particles. We study the effect of DAW polarisation, L-, R-, circular and elliptical, in different regimes inertial and kinetic on the
efficiency of particle acceleration. We use 2.5D PIC simulations to study how particles are accelerated when DAW, triggered by a solar flare, propagates in transversely inhomogeneous plasma that mimics solar coronal loop. (i) In inertial regime, fraction of accelerated electrons (along the magnetic field), in density gradient regions is ~20% by the time when DAW develops 3 wavelengths and is increasing to ~30% by the time DAW develops 13 wavelengths. In all considered cases ions are heated in transverse to the magnetic field direction and fraction of the heated particles is ~35%. (ii) The case of R-circular, L- and R- elliptical polarisation DAWs, with the electric field in the non-ignorable transverse direction exceeding several times that of in the ignorable direction, produce more pronounced parallel electron beams and transverse ion beams in the ignorable direction. In the inertial regime such polarisations yield the fraction of accelerated electrons ~20%. In the kinetic regime this increases to ~35%. (iii) The parallel electric field that is generated in the density inhomogeneity regions is independent of m_i/m_e and exceeds the Dreicer value by 8 orders of magnitude. (iv) Electron beam velocity has the phase velocity of the DAW. Thus electron acceleration is via Landau damping of DAWs. For the Alfven speeds of 0.3c the considered mechanism can accelerate electrons to energies circa 20 keV. (v) The increase of mass ratio from m_i/m_e=16 to 73.44 increases the fraction of accelerated electrons from 20% to 30-35% (depending on DAW polarisation). For the mass ratio m_i/m_e=1836 the fraction of accelerated electrons would be >35%.
