Effect of convection upon charged particle transport in random magnetic fields
Description
In a coordinate system moving with the plasma and random magnetic fields of a wind that blows with constant velocity in the direction of the guiding field, transport of energetic particles is described by a Boltzmann equation which is similar to the one that describes unconvected transport. Although this formulation is mathematically identical to that developed by Luhmann, which refers to the system where the guiding field is static, there are both practical and fundamental reasons to adopt the new approach. It leads to first-order approximate transport equations which are similar to those that apply in the absence of convection. However, these equations are more general than Parker's description of diffusion and convection, for they describe the coherent modes of transport that appear when the mean free path is large compared to the scale length for spatial variations of the guiding field, and they are valid for arbitrary wind velocity. The latter characteristic opens up new possibilities for analyzing particle transport in relativistic flows seen in some astronomical objects
Additional details
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Astrophys. J.
- Journal Volume
- 278
- Journal Issue
- 2
- Series
- Astrophys. J.
- Journal Page Range
- 825-840
- ISSN
- 0004-637X
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 16008987
- Subject category
- S73: NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS;
- Descriptors DEI
- BOLTZMANN EQUATION; CHARGED PARTICLES; CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT; CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT THE; CONVECTION; INTERPLANETARY SPACE; LORENTZ TRANSFORMATIONS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; SOLAR WIND
- Descriptors DEC
- DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; ENERGY TRANSFER; EQUATIONS; FLUID MECHANICS; HEAT TRANSFER; HYDRODYNAMICS; MECHANICS; PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; RADIATION TRANSPORT; SOLAR ACTIVITY; SPACE; STELLAR ACTIVITY; STELLAR WINDS; TRANSPORT THEORY