Observations and numerical simulations of laboratory and space plasmas in almost collisionless regimes reveal anisotropic and non-gyrotropic particle distribution functions. We investigate how such states can persist in the presence of a sheared flow. We focus our attention on the pressure tensor equation in a magnetized plasma and derive analytical self-consistent plasma equilibria which exhibit a novel asymmetry with respect to the magnetic field direction. These results are relevant for investigating, within fluid models that retain the full pressure tensor dynamics, plasma configurations where a background shear flow is present.
Pressure tensor in the presence of velocity shear: Stationary solutions and self-consistent equilibria
CERRI, SILVIO SERGIOPrimo
;PEGORARO, FRANCESCO;CALIFANO, FRANCESCOCo-primo
;
2014-01-01
Abstract
Observations and numerical simulations of laboratory and space plasmas in almost collisionless regimes reveal anisotropic and non-gyrotropic particle distribution functions. We investigate how such states can persist in the presence of a sheared flow. We focus our attention on the pressure tensor equation in a magnetized plasma and derive analytical self-consistent plasma equilibria which exhibit a novel asymmetry with respect to the magnetic field direction. These results are relevant for investigating, within fluid models that retain the full pressure tensor dynamics, plasma configurations where a background shear flow is present.File in questo prodotto:
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