Temperature anisotropy relaxation of the one‐component plasma
Abstract
The relaxation rate of a Maxwellian velocity distribution function that has an initially anisotropic temperature (T‖≠T⊥) is an important physical process in space and laboratory plasmas. It is also a canonical example of an energy transport process that can be used to test theory. Here, this rate is evaluated using molecular dynamics simulations of the one‐component plasma. Results are compared with the predictions of four kinetic theories; two treating the weakly coupled regime, namely (a) the Landau equation, and (b) the Lenard–Balescu equation, and two that attempt to extend the theory into the strongly coupled regime, namely (c) the effective potential theory and (d) the generalized Lenard–Balescu theory. The role of dynamic screening is studied, and is found to have a negligible influence on this transport rate. Oscillations and a delayed relaxation onset in the temperature profiles are observed at strong coupling, which are not described by the kinetic theories.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 02, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1002/ctpp.201700028
Entities
People
- Jérôme Daligault
- Scott D. Baalrud
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- National Science Foundation
- University of Iowa