Exact hybrid Vlasov equilibria for sheared plasmas with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic field

F. Malara, O. Pezzi, and F. Valentini
Phys. Rev. E 97, 053212 – Published 31 May 2018

Abstract

The hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell system of equations is suitable to describe a magnetized plasma at scales on the order of or larger than proton kinetic scales. An exact stationary solution is presented by revisiting previous results with a uniform-density shear flow, directed either parallel or perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field, and by adapting the solution to the hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell model. A quantitative characterization of the equilibrium distribution function is provided by studying both analytically and numerically the temperature anisotropy and gyrotropy and the heat flux. In both cases, in the shear region, the velocity distribution significantly departs from local thermodynamical equilibrium. A comparison between the time behavior of the usual “fluidlike” equilibrium shifted Maxwellian and the exact stationary solutions is carried out by means of numerical simulations of the hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell equations. These hybrid equilibria can be employed as unperturbed states for numerous problems which involve sheared flows, such as the wave propagation in an inhomogeneous background and the onset of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.

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  • Received 21 March 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.97.053212

©2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Authors & Affiliations

F. Malara, O. Pezzi*, and F. Valentini

  • Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, 87036, Rende (Cosenza), Italy

  • *oreste.pezzi@fis.unical.it

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Issue

Vol. 97, Iss. 5 — May 2018

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