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Publication Detailed Description
Journal Title
Physical Review Letters
Year (definitive publication)
2014
Language
English
Country
United States of America
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Abstract
Particle-cell simulations are used to investigate the formation of magnetic fields B in plasmas with perpendicular electron density and temperature gradients. For system sizes L comparable to the ion skin depth d(i), it is shown that B similar to i/L, consistent with the Biermann battery effect. However, for large L/d(i), it is found that the Weibel instability (due to electron temperature anisotropy) supersedes the Biermann battery as the main producer of B. The Weibel-produced fields saturate at a finite amplitude (plasma beta approximate to 100), independent of L. The magnetic energy spectra below the electron Larmor radius scale are well fitted by the power law with slope -16/3, as predicted by Schekochihin et al.
Acknowledgements
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Keywords
Fields of Science and Technology Classification
- Physical Sciences - Natural Sciences
Funding Records
| Funding Reference | Funding Entity |
|---|---|
| PTDC/FIS/118187/2010 | Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia |
| 267841 | European Research Council |
| PTDC/FIS/112392/2009 | Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia |
