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Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
Published on: August 1, 2017
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Behavior of compressed plasmas in magnetic fields.
Gurudas Ganguli1, Chris Crabtree1, Alex Fletcher1
1Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375 USA.
Reviews of Modern Plasma Physics
|December 7, 2020
Summary
Earth
Area of Science:
- Space Physics
- Plasma Physics
- Geophysics
Background:
- Earth's magnetosphere experiences plasma compression and relaxation cycles.
- These dynamics drive plasma behavior and intermittency in the near-Earth environment.
- Plasma sheet thinning during compression can trigger magnetic reconnection and auroras.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the behavior of compressed plasmas in Earth's magnetosphere.
- Understand the relaxation mechanisms and their measurable signatures.
- Explore the feedback of small-scale processes on global plasma dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Analyzing plasma dynamics under compression and relaxation.
- Studying electromagnetic field generation and particle orbit distortions.
- Examining boundary layers and their associated emissions.
Main Results:
- Plasma compression generates electromagnetic fields and kinetic-scale phenomena.
- Boundary layers exhibit intense activity and measurable emissions.
- Small-scale processes significantly influence global magnetospheric evolution.
Conclusions:
- Accurate modeling requires integrating fluid (MHD) and kinetic regimes.
- Understanding these interconnected scales is crucial for magnetospheric physics.
- Measurable signatures provide insights into energy transfer and feedback mechanisms.
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