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Turbulent Magnetogenesis in a Collisionless Plasma

Pucci F.; Viviani M.; Valentini F.; Lapenta G.; Matthaeus W.H.; Servidio S.

We demonstrate an efficient mechanism for generating magnetic fields in turbulent, collisionless plasmas. By using fully kinetic, particle-in-cell simulations of an initially nonmagnetized plasma, we inspect the genesis of magnetization, in a nonlinear regime. The complex motion is initiated via a Taylor-Green vortex, and the plasma locally develops strong electron temperature anisotropy, due to the strain tensor of the turbulent flow. Subsequently, in a domino effect, the anisotropy triggers a Weibel instability, localized in space. In such active wave-particle interaction regions, the seed magnetic field grows exponentially and spreads to larger scales due to the interaction with the underlying stirring motion. Such a self-feeding process might explain magnetogenesis in a variety of astrophysical plasmas, wherever turbulence is present. variety of astrophysical plasmas, wherever turbulence is present.

ID 460141
DOI 10.3847/2041-8213/ac36cf
PRODUCT TYPE Journal Article
LAST UPDATE 2022-03-31 13:09:39.000
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