Two-dimensional Harris-Liouville plasma kinetic equilibria

Isothermal stationary solutions of the self-consistent Vlasov equation can be constructed for arbitrary two-dimensional sheared magnetic field configurations by exploiting a complex function representation of the solutions of the nonlinear Liouville equation. All these solutions are shown to be locally equivalent to the well known Harris sheet pinch configuration. Solutions corresponding to different magnetic configurations are presented, including a double Y-point configuration reminiscent of a reconnection current layer. Lie point symmetries are used to elucidate the relationship between the different configurations and to investigate the structure of the linearized perturbations in the "quasistatic" approximation. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.