Original Paper

Collisionless Plasma Expansion in the Presence of a Dipole Magnetic Field

  1. H. B. Nersisyan1,2,*,
  2. D. A. Osipyan1

Article first published online: 23 JUL 2009

DOI: 10.1002/ctpp.200910032

Issue

Contributions to Plasma Physics

Contributions to Plasma Physics

Volume 49, Issue 6, pages 351–361, August 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Nersisyan, H. B. and Osipyan, D. A. (2009), Collisionless Plasma Expansion in the Presence of a Dipole Magnetic Field. Contrib. Plasma Phys., 49: 351–361. doi: 10.1002/ctpp.200910032

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Theoretical Physics, Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics, Alikhanian Brothers Street 1, 378410 Ashtarak, Armenia

  2. 2

    Centre of Strong Fields Physics, Yerevan State University, Alex Manoogian Str. 1, 375025 Yerevan, Armenia

*Phone: +374 10 287850, Fax: +374 232 33770

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 JUL 2009
  2. Article first published online: 23 JUL 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 7 MAY 2009
  4. Manuscript Received: 24 MAR 2009

Funded by

  • Armenian Ministry of Higher Education and Science. Grant Number: 87

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Keywords:

  • Magnetized plasma;
  • dipole magnetic field;
  • shock waves;
  • hybrid simulations

Abstract

The collisionless interaction of an expanding high–energy plasma cloud with a magnetized background plasma in the presence of a dipole magnetic field is examined in the framework of a 2D3V hybrid (kinetic ions and massless fluid electrons) model. The retardation of the plasma cloud and the dynamics of the perturbed electromagnetic fields and the background plasma are studied for high Alfvén–Mach numbers using the particle–in–cellmethod. It is shown that the plasma cloud expands excluding the ambient magnetic field and the background plasma to form a diamagnetic cavity which is accompanied by the generation of a collisionless shock wave. The energy exchange between the plasma cloud and the background plasma is also studied and qualitative agreement with the analytical model suggested previously is obtained (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

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