Kinetic simulation is a powerful tool to study the excitation and propagation of whistler-mode waves in the Earth’s inner magnetosphere.This method typically applies a scaled-down dipole magnetic field to save comput...Kinetic simulation is a powerful tool to study the excitation and propagation of whistler-mode waves in the Earth’s inner magnetosphere.This method typically applies a scaled-down dipole magnetic field to save computational time.However,it remains unknown whether whistler wave propagation in the scaled-down dipole field is consistent with that in the realistic dipole field.In this work,we develop a ray-tracing code with a scalable dipole magnetic field to address this concern.The simulation results show that parallel whistler waves at different frequencies gradually become oblique after leaving the equator and propagate in different raypaths in a dipole magnetic field.During their propagation,the higher frequency waves tend to have larger wave normal angles at the same latitude.Compared with the wave propagation in a realistic dipole field,the wave raypath and wave normal remain the same,whereas the wave amplification or attenuation is smaller because of the shorter propagation time in a scaled-down dipole field.Our study provides significant guidance for kinetic simulations of whistler-mode waves.展开更多
In this paper, the modifications of the whistler dispersion characteristics are investigated which arise if resonant electrons are taken into account. The following chain of processes is emphasized: Generation of whis...In this paper, the modifications of the whistler dispersion characteristics are investigated which arise if resonant electrons are taken into account. The following chain of processes is emphasized: Generation of whistler waves propagating at different angles to the magnetic field and their nonlinear interaction with resonant electrons result in the appearance of modulated electron beams in the background plasma. As a result, the dispersion characteristics of waves in this new plasma might be significantly changed. By analysing the modified dispersion characteristics these changes are discussed. Supported by particle simulations and space observations, it is assumed that in the electron distribution function at the resonance velocity a plateau-like beam is formed. Because of the weakness of the beam, the term “beam/plateau population (b/p)” is used. By solving the kinetic dispersion relation of whistler waves in electron plasmas with b/p populations, the associated modifications of the whistler dispersion characteristics are presented in diagrams showing, in particular, the frequency versus propagation angle dependence of the excited waves. It is important to point out the two functions of the b/p populations. Because of the bi-directional excitation of whistler waves by temperature anisotropy, one has to distinguish between up- and downstream populations and accordingly between two b/p modes. The interaction of the beam-shifted cyclotron mode ω= Ω<sub>e</sub> + k⋅V<sub>b</sub> (V<sub> b</sub>V<sub>b</sub> is the b/p velocity, Ω<sub>e</sub>: electron cyclotron frequency) with the whistler mode leads to enhanced damping at the ω-k point where they intersect. This is the origin of the frequency gap at half the electron cyclotron frequency (ω~Ω<sub>e</sub>/2) for quasi-parallel waves which are driven by temperature anisotropy. Furthermore, it is shown that the upstream b/p electrons alone (in the absence of temperature anisotropy) can excite (very) oblique whistler waves near the resonance cone. The governing instability results from the interaction of the beam/plateau mode ω= k⋅V<sub>b</sub> (V<sub>b</sub> > 0) with the whistler mode. As a further remarkable effect, another frequency gap at ω~Ω<sub>e</sub>/2 in the range of large propagation angles may arise. It happens at the triple point where both b/p modes and the whistler mode intersect. Our investigation shows that the consideration of resonant electrons in form of beam/plateau populations leads to significant modifications of the spectrum of magnetospheric whistler waves which are originally driven by temperature anisotropy. Relations to recent and former space observations are discussed.展开更多
We conduct an electron magnetohydrodynamics magnetic reconnection experiment with guide-field in our Keda linear magnetized plasma device, in which two pulsed currents with the same direction are conducted in parallel...We conduct an electron magnetohydrodynamics magnetic reconnection experiment with guide-field in our Keda linear magnetized plasma device, in which two pulsed currents with the same direction are conducted in parallel with the axial direction of the main chamber of the device using two long aluminum sticks. After approximately 5μs, an X-type magnetic field line topology is formed at the center of the chamber. With the formation of the X-type topology of magnetic field lines, we can also find the rapid increase of the current and ratio of the common flux to the private flux in this area. Additionally, a reduction in the plasma density and the plasma density concentration along one pair of separatrices can also be found.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 42104155)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2021M693049)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant Nos. WK2080000150 and WK3420000013)the USTC (University of Science and Technology of China) Tang Scholar Program
文摘Kinetic simulation is a powerful tool to study the excitation and propagation of whistler-mode waves in the Earth’s inner magnetosphere.This method typically applies a scaled-down dipole magnetic field to save computational time.However,it remains unknown whether whistler wave propagation in the scaled-down dipole field is consistent with that in the realistic dipole field.In this work,we develop a ray-tracing code with a scalable dipole magnetic field to address this concern.The simulation results show that parallel whistler waves at different frequencies gradually become oblique after leaving the equator and propagate in different raypaths in a dipole magnetic field.During their propagation,the higher frequency waves tend to have larger wave normal angles at the same latitude.Compared with the wave propagation in a realistic dipole field,the wave raypath and wave normal remain the same,whereas the wave amplification or attenuation is smaller because of the shorter propagation time in a scaled-down dipole field.Our study provides significant guidance for kinetic simulations of whistler-mode waves.
文摘In this paper, the modifications of the whistler dispersion characteristics are investigated which arise if resonant electrons are taken into account. The following chain of processes is emphasized: Generation of whistler waves propagating at different angles to the magnetic field and their nonlinear interaction with resonant electrons result in the appearance of modulated electron beams in the background plasma. As a result, the dispersion characteristics of waves in this new plasma might be significantly changed. By analysing the modified dispersion characteristics these changes are discussed. Supported by particle simulations and space observations, it is assumed that in the electron distribution function at the resonance velocity a plateau-like beam is formed. Because of the weakness of the beam, the term “beam/plateau population (b/p)” is used. By solving the kinetic dispersion relation of whistler waves in electron plasmas with b/p populations, the associated modifications of the whistler dispersion characteristics are presented in diagrams showing, in particular, the frequency versus propagation angle dependence of the excited waves. It is important to point out the two functions of the b/p populations. Because of the bi-directional excitation of whistler waves by temperature anisotropy, one has to distinguish between up- and downstream populations and accordingly between two b/p modes. The interaction of the beam-shifted cyclotron mode ω= Ω<sub>e</sub> + k⋅V<sub>b</sub> (V<sub> b</sub>V<sub>b</sub> is the b/p velocity, Ω<sub>e</sub>: electron cyclotron frequency) with the whistler mode leads to enhanced damping at the ω-k point where they intersect. This is the origin of the frequency gap at half the electron cyclotron frequency (ω~Ω<sub>e</sub>/2) for quasi-parallel waves which are driven by temperature anisotropy. Furthermore, it is shown that the upstream b/p electrons alone (in the absence of temperature anisotropy) can excite (very) oblique whistler waves near the resonance cone. The governing instability results from the interaction of the beam/plateau mode ω= k⋅V<sub>b</sub> (V<sub>b</sub> > 0) with the whistler mode. As a further remarkable effect, another frequency gap at ω~Ω<sub>e</sub>/2 in the range of large propagation angles may arise. It happens at the triple point where both b/p modes and the whistler mode intersect. Our investigation shows that the consideration of resonant electrons in form of beam/plateau populations leads to significant modifications of the spectrum of magnetospheric whistler waves which are originally driven by temperature anisotropy. Relations to recent and former space observations are discussed.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 41331067 and 41527804the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences under Grant No QYZDJ-SSW-DQC010the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
文摘We conduct an electron magnetohydrodynamics magnetic reconnection experiment with guide-field in our Keda linear magnetized plasma device, in which two pulsed currents with the same direction are conducted in parallel with the axial direction of the main chamber of the device using two long aluminum sticks. After approximately 5μs, an X-type magnetic field line topology is formed at the center of the chamber. With the formation of the X-type topology of magnetic field lines, we can also find the rapid increase of the current and ratio of the common flux to the private flux in this area. Additionally, a reduction in the plasma density and the plasma density concentration along one pair of separatrices can also be found.
