Gas-plasma compressional wave coupling by momentum transfer

Diver, D.A. , Potts, H.E. and Teodoro, L.F.A. (2006) Gas-plasma compressional wave coupling by momentum transfer. New Journal of Physics, 8(11), pp. 265-279. (doi: 10.1088/1367-2630/8/11/265)

Abstract

Pressure disturbances in a gas-plasma mixed fluid will result in a hybrid response, with magnetosonic plasma waves coupled to acoustic waves in the neutral gas. In the analytical and numerical treatment presented here, we demonstrate the evolution of the total fluid medium response under a variety of conditions, with the gas-plasma linkage achieved by additional coupling terms in the momentum equations of each species. The significance of this treatment lies in the consideration of density perturbations in such fluids: there is no 'pure' mode response, only a collective one in which elements of the characteristics of each component are present. For example, an initially isotropic gas sound wave can trigger an anisotropic magnetic response in the plasma, with the character of each being blended in the global evolution. Hence sound waves do not remain wholly isotropic, and magnetic responses are less constrained by pure magnetoplasma dynamics.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Teodoro, Dr Luis and Potts, Hugh and Diver, Professor Declan
• Authors: Diver, D.A., Potts, H.E., and Teodoro, L.F.A.
• Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Research Group: Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Journal Name: New Journal of Physics
• Publisher: Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
• ISSN: 1367-2630
• ISSN (Online): 1367-2630
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 Institute of Physics
• First Published: First published in New Journal of Physics 8(11):265-279
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher