Somov Plasma Astrophysics, Part II

Reconnection and Flares
1. Auflage 2007
ISBN: 978-0-387-68894-7
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, Band 341, 428 Seiten

Reihe: Astrophysics and Space Science Library

This illustrated monograph explores the fundamentals, current practice, and theoretical perspectives of modern plasma astrophysics. The opening part covers basic principles and practical tools for understanding and working with plasma astrophysics. The second section examines the physics of magnetic reconnection and flares of electromagnetic origin in space plasmas in the solar system, and more. Designed mainly for professional researchers, it will be useful to graduate students in space sciences and geophysics.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Somov, Boris V.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Contents;7
2;About This Book;15
2.1;Acknowledgements;17
3;Plasma Astrophysics;18
4;Particles and Fields: Exact Self- Consistent Description;20
4.1;1.1 Interacting particles and Liouville’s theorem;20
4.2;1.2 Charged particles in the electromagnetic . eld;28
4.3;1.3 Gravitational systems;31
4.4;1.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;32
5;Statistical Description of Interacting Particle Systems;36
5.1;2.1 The averaging of Liouville’s equation;36
5.2;2.2 A collisional integral and correlation functions;43
5.3;2.3 Equations for correlation functions;48
5.4;2.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;50
6;Weakly-Coupled Systems with Binary Collisions;51
6.1;3.1 Approximations for binary collisions;51
6.2;3.2 Correlation function and Debye shielding;58
6.3;3.3 Gravitational systems;62
6.4;3.4 Comments on numerical simulations;63
6.5;3.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;64
7;Propagation of Fast Particles in Plasma;70
7.1;4.1 Derivation of the basic kinetic equation;70
7.2;4.2 A kinetic equation at high speeds;73
7.3;4.3 The classical thick-target model;75
7.4;4.4 The role of angular di.usion;79
7.5;4.5 The reverse-current electric-.eld e.ect;82
7.6;4.6 Practice: Exercises and Answers;92
8;Motion of a Charged Particle in Given Fields;93
8.1;5.1 A particle in constant homogeneous .elds;93
8.2;5.2 Weakly inhomogeneous slowly changing .elds;100
8.3;5.3 Practice: Exercises and Answers;111
9;Adiabatic Invariants in Astrophysical Plasma;117
9.1;6.1 General de.nitions;117
9.2;6.2 Two main invariants;118
9.3;6.3 The .ux invariant;125
9.4;6.4 Approximation accuracy. Exact solutions;126
9.5;6.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;127
10;Wave-Particle Interaction in Astrophysical Plasma;129
10.1;7.1 The basis of kinetic theory;129
10.2;7.2 Stochastic acceleration of particles by waves;136
10.3;7.3 The relativistic electron-positron plasma;141
10.4;7.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;142
11;Coulomb Collisions in Astrophysical Plasma;147
11.1;8.1 Close and distant collisions;147
11.2;8.2 Debye shielding and plasma oscillations;153
11.3;8.3 Collisional relaxations in cosmic plasma;156
11.4;8.4 Dynamic friction in astrophysical plasma;165
11.5;8.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;172
12;Macroscopic Description of Astrophysical Plasma;176
12.1;9.1 Summary of microscopic description;176
12.2;9.2 Transition to macroscopic description;177
12.3;9.3 Macroscopic transfer equations;178
12.4;9.4 General properties of transfer equations;186
12.5;9.5 Equation of state and transfer coe.cients;188
12.6;9.6 Gravitational systems;190
12.7;9.7 Practice: Exercises and Answers;191
13;Multi-Fluid Models of Astrophysical Plasma;195
13.1;10.1 Multi-.uid models in astrophysics;195
13.2;10.2 Langmuir waves;196
13.3;10.3 Electromagnetic waves in plasma;200
13.4;10.4 What do we miss?;202
13.5;10.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;203
14;The Generalized Ohm’s Law in Plasma;205
14.1;11.1 The classic Ohm’s law;205
14.2;11.2 Derivation of basic equations;206
14.3;11.3 The general solution;208
14.4;11.4 The conductivity of magnetized plasma;209
14.5;11.5 Currents and charges in plasma;211
14.6;11.6 Practice: Exercises and Answers;215
15;Single-Fluid Models for Astrophysical Plasma;217
15.1;12.1 Derivation of the single-.uid equations;217
15.2;12.2 Basic assumptions and the MHD equations;221
15.3;12.3 Magnetic .ux conservation. Ideal MHD;228
15.4;12.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;233
16;Magnetohydrodynamics in Astrophysics;235
16.1;13.1 The main approximations in ideal MHD;235
16.2;13.2 Accretion disks of stars;241
16.3;13.3 Astrophysical jets;246
16.4;13.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;249
17;Plasma Flows in a Strong Magnetic Field;254
17.1;14.1 The general formulation of the problem;254
17.2;14.2 The formalism of two-dimensional problems;256
17.3;14.3 On the existence of continuous .ows;263
17.4;14.4 Flows in a time-dependent dipole .eld;264
17.5;14.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;269
18;MHD Waves in Astrophysical Plasma;274
18.1;15.1 The dispersion equation in ideal MHD;274
18.2;15.2 Small-amplitude waves in ideal MHD;276
18.3;15.3 Dissipative waves in MHD;282
18.4;15.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;285
19;Discontinuous Flows in a MHD Medium;287
19.1;16.1 Discontinuity surfaces in hydrodynamics;287
19.2;16.2 Magnetohydrodynamic discontinuities;291
19.3;16.3 Transitions between discontinuities;306
19.4;16.4 Shock waves in collisionless plasma;308
19.5;16.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;309
20;Evolutionarity of MHD Discontinuities;314
20.1;17.1 Conditions for evolutionarity;314
20.2;17.2 Consequences of evolutionarity conditions;322
20.3;17.3 Dissipative e.ects in evolutionarity;324
20.4;17.4 Discontinuity structure and evolutionarity;328
20.5;17.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;333
21;Particle Acceleration by Shock Waves;336
21.1;18.1 Two basic mechanisms;336
21.2;18.2 Shock di.usive acceleration;337
21.3;18.3 Shock drift acceleration;341
21.4;18.4 Practice: Exercises and Answers;349
22;Plasma Equilibrium in Magnetic Field;351
22.1;19.1 The virial theorem in MHD;351
22.2;19.2 Force-free .elds and Shafranov’s theorem;358
22.3;19.3 Properties of equilibrium con.gurations;361
22.4;19.4 The Archimedean force in MHD;367
22.5;19.5 MHD equilibrium in the solar atmosphere;369
22.6;19.6 Practice: Exercises and Answers;371
23;Stationary Flows in a Magnetic Field;374
23.1;20.1 Ideal plasma .ows;374
23.2;20.2 Flows at small magnetic Reynolds numbers;381
23.3;20.3 The;386
23.4;dependent;386
23.5;force and vortex .ows;386
23.6;20.4 Large magnetic Reynolds numbers;393
23.7;20.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;398
24;Appendix 1. Notation;399
24.1;Latin alphabet;399
24.2;Greek alphabet;402
25;Appendix 2 Useful Expressions;404
26;Appendix 3. Constants;407
26.1;Fundamental physical constants;407
26.2;Some useful constants and units;407
26.3;Some astrophysical constants;407
27;Bibliography;409
28;Index;430
29;Contents;446
30;Reconnection and Flares;453
30.1;Acknowledgements;456
31;Magnetic Reconnection;457
31.1;1.1 What is magnetic reconnection?;457
31.2;1.2 Acceleration in current layers, why and how?;465
31.3;1.3 Practice: Exercises and Answers;471
32;Reconnection in a Strong Magnetic Field;473
32.1;2.1 Small perturbations near a neutral line;473
32.2;2.2 Large perturbations near the neutral line;482
32.3;2.3 Dynamic dissipation of magnetic .eld;486
32.4;2.4 Nonstationary analytical models of RCL;490
33;Evidence of Reconnection in Solar Flares;499
33.1;3.1 The role of magnetic .elds;499
33.2;3.2 Three-dimensional reconnection in .ares;503
33.3;3.3 A current layer as the source of energy;515
33.4;3.4 Reconnection in action;520
34;The Bastille Day 2000 Flare;529
34.1;4.1 Main observational properties;529
34.2;4.2 Simpli.ed topological model;539
35;Electric Currents Related to Reconnection;551
35.1;5.1 Magnetic reconnection in the corona;551
35.2;5.2 Photospheric shear and coronal reconnection;559
35.3;5.3 Shear .ows and photospheric reconnection;566
35.4;5.4 Motions of the HXR footpoints in .ares;569
35.5;5.5 Open issues and some conclusions;577
36;Models of Reconnecting Current Layers;580
36.1;6.1 Magnetically neutral current layers;580
36.2;6.2 Magnetically non-neutral RCL;587
36.3;6.3 Basic physics of the SHTCL;590
36.4;6.4 Open issues of reconnection in .ares;600
36.5;6.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;602
37;Reconnection and Collapsing Traps in Solar Flares;604
37.1;7.1 SHTCL in solar .ares;604
37.2;7.2 Coronal HXR sources in .ares;611
37.3;7.3 The collapsing trap e.ect in solar .ares;619
37.4;7.4 Acceleration mechanisms in traps;628
37.5;7.5 Final remarks;635
37.6;7.6 Practice: Exercises and Answers;636
38;Solar-type Flares in Laboratory and Space;643
38.1;8.1 Solar .ares in laboratory;643
38.2;8.2 Magnetospheric Physics Problems;650
38.3;8.3 Flares in accretion disk coronae;652
38.4;8.4 The giant .ares;658
39;Particle Acceleration in Current Layers;660
39.1;9.1 Magnetically non-neutral RCLs;660
39.2;9.2 Regular versus chaotic acceleration;668
39.3;9.3 Ion acceleration in current layers;675
39.4;9.4 How are solar particles accelerated?;681
39.5;9.5 Cosmic ray problem;685
40;Structural Instability of Reconnecting Current Layers;686
40.1;10.1 Some properties of current layers;686
40.2;10.2 Small perturbations outside the RCL;693
40.3;10.3 Perturbations inside the RCL;699
40.4;10.4 Solution on the boundary of the RCL;707
40.5;10.5 The criterion of evolutionarity;709
40.6;10.6 Practice: Exercises and Answers;715
41;Tearing Instability of Reconnecting Current Layers;717
41.1;11.1 The origin of the tearing instability;717
41.2;11.2 The simplest problem and its solution;720
41.3;11.3 Physical interpretation of the instability;727
41.4;11.4 The stabilizing e.ect of transversal .eld;730
41.5;11.5 Compressibility and a longitudinal .eld;733
41.6;11.6 The kinetic approach;736
42;Magnetic Reconnection and Turbulence;744
42.1;12.1 Reconnection and magnetic helicity;744
42.2;12.2 Coronal heating and .ares;751
42.3;12.3 Stochastic acceleration in solar .ares;754
42.4;12.4 Mechanisms of coronal heating;760
42.5;12.5 Practice: Exercises and Answers;764
43;Reconnection in Weakly- Ionized Plasma;766
43.1;13.1 Early observations and classical models;766
43.2;13.2 Model of reconnecting current layer;768
43.3;13.3 Reconnection in solar prominences;772
43.4;13.4 Element fractionation by reconnection;775
43.5;13.5 The photospheric dynamo;776
43.6;13.6 Practice: Exercises and Answers;781
44;Magnetic Reconnection of Electric Currents;785
44.1;14.1 Introductory comments;785
44.2;14.2 Flare energy storage and release;786
44.3;14.3 Current layer formation mechanisms;792
44.4;14.4 The shear and reconnection of currents;801
44.5;14.5 Potential and non-potential .elds;805
44.6;14.6 To the future observations by;808
45;Epilogue;810
46;Appendix 1. Acronyms;812
47;Appendix 2. Notation;813
47.1;Latin alphabet;813
47.2;Greek alphabet;814
48;Appendix 3 Useful Formulae;815
49;Appendix 4. Constants;819
49.1;Fundamental physical constants;819
49.2;Some useful constants and units;819
49.3;Some astrophysical constants;820
50;Bibliography;821
51;Index;851