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arXiv · 1410.1286

Pressure tensor in the presence of velocity shear: stationary solutions and self-consistent equilibria

S. S. Cerri·F. Pegoraro·F. Califano·D. Del Sarto·F. Jenko
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Abstract

Observations and numerical simulations of laboratory and space plasmas in almost collisionless regimes reveal anisotropic and non-gyrotropic particle distribution functions. We investigate how such states can persist in the presence of a sheared flow. We focus our attention on the pressure tensor equation in a magnetized plasma and derive analytical self-consistent plasma equilibria which exhibit a novel asymmetry with respect to the magnetic field direction. These results are relevant for investigating, within fluid models that retain the full pressure tensor dynamics, plasma configurations where a background shear flow is present.

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S. S. Cerri, F. Pegoraro, F. Califano, D. Del Sarto, F. Jenko. 2014-10-06. Pressure tensor in the presence of velocity shear: stationary solutions and self-consistent equilibria. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4901570

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