Isolation and phase-space energization analysis of the instabilities in collisionless shocks

C.R. Brown; J. Juno; G.G. Howes; C.C. Haggerty; S. Constantinou

doi:10.1017/S0022377823000478

Back

Isolation and phase-space energization analysis of the instabilities in collisionless shocks

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Isolation and phase-space energization analysis of the instabilities in collisionless shocks

C.R. Brown, J. Juno, G.G. Howes, C.C. Haggerty and S. Constantinou

Journal of plasma physics, Vol.89(3), 905890308

06/16/2023

DOI: 10.1017/S0022377823000478

Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377823000478View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

We analyse the generation of kinetic instabilities and their effect on the energization of ions in non-relativistic, oblique collisionless shocks using a 3D-3V (three spatial with three velocity components) simulation by dHybridR, a hybrid particle-in-cell code. At sufficiently high Mach number, quasi-perpendicular and oblique shocks can experience rippling of the shock surface caused by kinetic instabilities arising from free energy in the ion velocity distribution due to the combination of the incoming ion beam and the population of ions reflected at the shock front. To understand the role of the ripple on particle energization, we devise a new instability isolation method to identify the unstable modes underlying the ripple and interpret the results in terms of the governing kinetic instability. We generate velocity-space signatures using the field–particle correlation technique to look at energy transfer in phase space from the isolated instability driving the shock ripple, providing a viewpoint on the different dynamics of distinct populations of ions in phase space. Together, the field–particle correlation technique and our new instability isolation method provide a unique viewpoint on the different dynamics of distinct populations of ions in phase space and allow us to completely characterize the energetics of the collisionless shock under investigation.

plasma simulation

space plasma physics

plasma instabilities

UIOWA OA Agreement

Details

Title: Subtitle: Isolation and phase-space energization analysis of the instabilities in collisionless shocks
Creators: C.R. Brown - University of Iowa
J. Juno - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
G.G. Howes - University of Iowa
C.C. Haggerty - University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
S. Constantinou - University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of plasma physics, Vol.89(3), 905890308
DOI: 10.1017/S0022377823000478
ISSN: 0022-3778
eISSN: 1469-7807
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Number of pages: 31
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100011766, name: Southwest Research Institute, award: M99016CAC
Language: English
Date published: 06/16/2023
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984442211902771

Metrics

10 Record Views

6 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details