Exact Vlasov-Maxwell equilibria for asymmetric current sheets

O. Allanson; F. Wilson; T. Neukirch; Yi-Hsin Liu; J. D. B. Hodgson

doi:10.1002/2017GL074168

Exact Vlasov-Maxwell equilibria for asymmetric current sheets

O. Allanson, F. Wilson, T. Neukirch, Yi-Hsin Liu, J. D. B. Hodgson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

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Abstract

The NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has made in-situ diffusion region and kinetic-scale resolution measurements of asymmetric magnetic reconnection for the first time [Burch et al., 2016], in the Earth’s magnetopause. The principal theoretical tool currently used to model collisionless asymmetric reconnection is particle-in-cell simulations. Many particle-in-cell simulations of asymmetric collisionless reconnection start from an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field, but with distribution functions that are not exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov equation. We present new and exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov-Maxwell system that are self-consistent with one-dimensional asymmetric current sheets, with an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field profile, plus a constant non-zero guide field. The distribution functions can be represented as a combination of four shifted Maxwellian distribution functions. This equilibrium describes a magnetic field configuration with more freedom than the previously known exact solution [Alpers, 1969], and has different bulk flow properties.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	8685-8695
Number of pages	11
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	44
Issue number	17
Early online date	7 Sept 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074168
Publication status	Published - 16 Sept 2017

Keywords

Vlasoc-Maxwell equilibrium
Exact solution
Asymmetric current sheet
Magnetopause
Initial Condition
Distribution function

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10.1002/2017GL074168Licence: CC BY

Allanson-2017-Exact-Vlasov-GRL-CC
© 2017. The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Final published version, 1.75 MBLicence: CC BY

Solar and Magnetospheric - Consolidated: Solar and Magnetospheric Magnetohydrodynamics and Plasmas: Theory and Application
Hood, A. W. (PI), Archontis, V. (CoI), De Moortel, I. (CoI), Mackay, D. H. (CoI), Neukirch, T. (CoI), Parnell, C. E. (CoI) & Wright, A. N. (CoI)
Science & Technology Facilities Council
1/04/16 → 31/03/19
Project: Standard
Plasma Theory: Solar and Magnetospheric Plasma Theory
Hood, A. W. (PI), Mackay, D. H. (CoI), Neukirch, T. (CoI), Parnell, C. E. (CoI), Priest, E. (CoI), Archontis, V. (Researcher), Cargill, P. (Researcher), De Moortel, I. (Researcher) & Wright, A. N. (Researcher)
Science & Technology Facilities Council
1/04/13 → 31/03/16
Project: Standard

Cite this

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title = "Exact Vlasov-Maxwell equilibria for asymmetric current sheets",

abstract = "The NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has made in-situ diffusion region and kinetic-scale resolution measurements of asymmetric magnetic reconnection for the first time [Burch et al., 2016], in the Earth{\textquoteright}s magnetopause. The principal theoretical tool currently used to model collisionless asymmetric reconnection is particle-in-cell simulations. Many particle-in-cell simulations of asymmetric collisionless reconnection start from an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field, but with distribution functions that are not exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov equation. We present new and exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov-Maxwell system that are self-consistent with one-dimensional asymmetric current sheets, with an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field profile, plus a constant non-zero guide field. The distribution functions can be represented as a combination of four shifted Maxwellian distribution functions. This equilibrium describes a magnetic field configuration with more freedom than the previously known exact solution [Alpers, 1969], and has different bulk flow properties.",

keywords = "Vlasoc-Maxwell equilibrium, Exact solution, Asymmetric current sheet, Magnetopause, Initial Condition, Distribution function",

author = "O. Allanson and F. Wilson and T. Neukirch and Yi-Hsin Liu and Hodgson, {J. D. B.}",

note = "Funding: Science and Technology Facilities Council Consolidated Grant Nos. ST/K000950/1 and ST/N000609/1 (O.A., T.N., J.D.B.H.and F.W.), the Science and Technology Facilities Council Doctoral Training Grant No. ST/K502327/1 (O.A. and J.D.B.H), the Natural Environment Research Council Grant No. NE/P017274/1 (Rad-Sat) (O.A.)",

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doi = "10.1002/2017GL074168",

language = "English",

volume = "44",

pages = "8685--8695",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

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publisher = "John Wiley & Sons, Ltd",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Exact Vlasov-Maxwell equilibria for asymmetric current sheets

AU - Allanson, O.

AU - Wilson, F.

AU - Neukirch, T.

AU - Liu, Yi-Hsin

AU - Hodgson, J. D. B.

N1 - Funding: Science and Technology Facilities Council Consolidated Grant Nos. ST/K000950/1 and ST/N000609/1 (O.A., T.N., J.D.B.H.and F.W.), the Science and Technology Facilities Council Doctoral Training Grant No. ST/K502327/1 (O.A. and J.D.B.H), the Natural Environment Research Council Grant No. NE/P017274/1 (Rad-Sat) (O.A.)

PY - 2017/9/16

Y1 - 2017/9/16

N2 - The NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has made in-situ diffusion region and kinetic-scale resolution measurements of asymmetric magnetic reconnection for the first time [Burch et al., 2016], in the Earth’s magnetopause. The principal theoretical tool currently used to model collisionless asymmetric reconnection is particle-in-cell simulations. Many particle-in-cell simulations of asymmetric collisionless reconnection start from an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field, but with distribution functions that are not exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov equation. We present new and exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov-Maxwell system that are self-consistent with one-dimensional asymmetric current sheets, with an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field profile, plus a constant non-zero guide field. The distribution functions can be represented as a combination of four shifted Maxwellian distribution functions. This equilibrium describes a magnetic field configuration with more freedom than the previously known exact solution [Alpers, 1969], and has different bulk flow properties.

AB - The NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has made in-situ diffusion region and kinetic-scale resolution measurements of asymmetric magnetic reconnection for the first time [Burch et al., 2016], in the Earth’s magnetopause. The principal theoretical tool currently used to model collisionless asymmetric reconnection is particle-in-cell simulations. Many particle-in-cell simulations of asymmetric collisionless reconnection start from an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field, but with distribution functions that are not exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov equation. We present new and exact equilibrium solutions of the Vlasov-Maxwell system that are self-consistent with one-dimensional asymmetric current sheets, with an asymmetric Harris-type magnetic field profile, plus a constant non-zero guide field. The distribution functions can be represented as a combination of four shifted Maxwellian distribution functions. This equilibrium describes a magnetic field configuration with more freedom than the previously known exact solution [Alpers, 1969], and has different bulk flow properties.

KW - Vlasoc-Maxwell equilibrium

KW - Exact solution

KW - Asymmetric current sheet

KW - Magnetopause

KW - Initial Condition

KW - Distribution function

U2 - 10.1002/2017GL074168

DO - 10.1002/2017GL074168

M3 - Letter

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 44

SP - 8685

EP - 8695

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 17

ER -

Exact Vlasov-Maxwell equilibria for asymmetric current sheets

Abstract

Keywords

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Projects

Solar and Magnetospheric - Consolidated: Solar and Magnetospheric Magnetohydrodynamics and Plasmas: Theory and Application

Plasma Theory: Solar and Magnetospheric Plasma Theory

Cite this