arXiv subjects

S. M. Mahajan

Publications and source records attributed to S. M. Mahajan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Nonlinear Coupling of Electromagnetic and Electron Acoustic Waves in Multi-Species Degenerate Astrophysical Plasma

Nonlinear wave--coupling is studied in a multi-species degenerate astrophysical plasma consisting of two electron species (at different temperatures): a highly degenerate main component plus a smaller classical relativistic flow immersed in a static neutralizing ion background. It is shown that the high frequency electromagnetic (HF EM) waves, through their strong nonlinear interactions with the electron--acoustic waves (sustained by a multi-electron component (degenerate) plasma surrounding a compact astrophysical object) can scatter to lower frequencies so that the radiation observed faraway will be spectrally shifted downwards. It is also shown that, under definite conditions, the EM waves could settle into stationary Solitonic states. It is expected that the effects of such structures may persist as detectable signatures in forms of modulated micro-pulses in the radiation observed far away from the accreting compact object. Both these effects will advance our abilities to interpret the radiation coming out of the compact objects.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

On the Relaxed States in the Mixture of Degenerate and Non-Degenerate Hot Plasmas of Astrophysical Objects

It is shown that a small contamination of a relativistically hot electron component can induce a new scale (for structure formation) to a system consisting of an ion-degenerate electron plasma. Mathematically expression of this additional scale length is the increase in the index of quasi-equilibrium Beltrami-Bernoulli states that have been invoked to model several astrophysical systems of interest. The two species of electrons, due to different origin of their relativistic effective masses, behave as two distinct components (each with its own conserved helicity) and add to the richness of the accessible quasi equilibrium states. Determined by the concrete parameters of the system, the new macro-scale lengths (much larger than the short intrinsic scale lengths (skin depths) and generally much shorter than the system size) open new pathways for energy transformations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Black hole in a superconducting plasma

The generalized vortical formalism provides an electrodynamic description for superconducting states---in the generalized vortical formalism, a superconducting state may be defined by the vanishing of an appropriate generalized vorticity and characterized by zero generalized helicity for incompressible fluids. In this article, we investigate these states for compressible plasmas in black hole spacetime geometries using the curved spacetime generalization of the grand generalized vortical formalism. If the magnetic field is axisymmetric and the thermodynamic properties are symmetric about the equatorial plane, the resulting states are characterized by a vanishing skin depth and a complete expulsion of the magnetic field at the equator of the black hole horizon. Moreover, if the thermodynamic properties of the plasma are uniform at the horizon, we find that the magnetic field is completely expelled from the horizon, and the plasma behaves as a perfect superconductor near the horizon. This result is independent of the spin of a black hole, holding even for a (nonrotating) Schwarzschild black hole, and demonstrates that the geometry near black hole horizons can have a significant effect on the electrodynamics of surrounding plasmas.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Direct Gyrokinetic Comparison of Pedestal Transport in JET with Carbon and ITER-Like Walls

This paper compares the gyrokinetic instabilities and transport in two representative JET pedestals, one (pulse 78697) from the JET configuration with a carbon wall (C) and another (pulse 92432) from after the installation of JET's ITER-like Wall (ILW). The discharges were selected for a comparison of JET-ILW and JET-C discharges with good confinement at high current (3 MA, corresponding also to low $ρ_*$) and retain the distinguishing features of JET-C and JET-ILW, notably, decreased pedestal top temperature for JET-ILW. A comparison of the profiles and heating power reveals a stark qualitative difference between the discharges: the JET-ILW pulse (92432) requires twice the heating power, at a gas rate of $1.9 \times 10^{22}e/s$, to sustain roughly half the temperature gradient of the JET-C pulse (78697), operated at zero gas rate. This points to heat transport as a central component of the dynamics limiting the JET-ILW pedestal and reinforces the following emerging JET-ILW pedestal transport paradigm, which is proposed for further examination by both theory and experiment. ILW conditions modify the density pedestal in ways that decrease the normalized pedestal density gradient $a/L_n$, often via an outward shift of the density pedestal. This is attributable to some combination of direct metal wall effects and the need for increased fueling to mitigate tungsten contamination. The modification to the density profile increases $η= L_n/L_T$ , thereby producing more robust ion temperature gradient (ITG) and electron temperature gradient driven instability. The decreased pedestal gradients for JET-ILW (92432) also result in a strongly reduced $E \times B$ shear rate, further enhancing the ion scale turbulence. Collectively, these effects limit the pedestal temperature and demand more heating power to achieve good pedestal performance.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2017

Flow Shear Suppression of Pedestal Turbulence--A First Principles Theoretical Framework

A combined analytic and computational gyrokinetic approach is developed to address the question of the scaling of pedestal turbulent transport with arbitrary levels of $E \times B$ shear. Due to strong gradients and shaping in the pedestal, the instabilities of interest are not curvature-driven like the core instabilities. By extensive numerical (gyrokinetic) simulations, it is demonstrated that pedestal modes respond to shear suppression very much like the predictions of a basic analytic decorrelation theory. The quantitative agreement between the two provides us with a new dependable, first principles (physics based) theoretical framework to predict the efficacy of shear suppression in burning plasmas that lie in a low-shear regime not accessed by present experiments.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2017

On the Raman Instability in Degenerate Relativistic Plasmas

The stimulated Raman scattering instability in a fully degenerate electron plasma is studied applying relativistic hydrodynamic and Maxwell equations. We demonstrated that the instability develops for weakly as well as strongly relativistic degenerate plasma. It is shown that in the field of strong radiation relativistically degenerate plasma effectively responses as in the case of weak degeneracy.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2016

Mechanisms for Multi-Scale Structures in Dense Degenerate Astrophysical Plasmas

Two distinct routes lead to the creation of multi--scale equilibrium structures in dense degenerate plasmas, often met in astrophysical conditions. By analyzing an e-p-i plasma consisting of degenerate electrons and positrons with a small contamination of mobile classical ions, we show the creation of a new macro scale $L_{\rm{macro}}$ (controlled by ion concentration). The temperature and degeneracy enhancement effective inertia of bulk e-p components also makes the effective skin depths larger (much larger) than the standard skin depth. The emergence of these intermediate and macro scales lends immense richness to the process of structure formation, and vastly increases the channels for energy transformations. The possible role played by this mechanism in explaining the existence of large-scale structures in astrophysical objects with degenerate plasmas, is examined.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Beltrami state in black-hole accretion disk: A magnetofluid approach

Using the magnetofluid unification framework, we show that the accretion disk plasma (embedded in the background geometry of a blackhole) can relax to a class of states known as the Beltrami-Bernoulli (BB) equilibria. Modeling the disk plasma as a Hall MHD system, we find that the space-time curvature can significantly alter the magnetic/velocity decay rate as we move away from the compact object; the velocity profiles in BB states, for example, deviate substantially from the predicted corresponding geodesic velocity profiles. These departures imply a rich interplay of plasma dynamics and general relativity revealed by examining the corresponding Bernoulli condition representing "homogeneity" of total energy. The relaxed states have their origin in the constraints provided by the two helicity invariants of Hall MHD. These helicities conspire to introduce a new oscillatory length scale into the system that is strongly influenced by relativistic and thermal effects.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

The unified ballooning theory with weak up-down asymmetric mode structure and the numerical studies

A unified ballooning theory, constructed on the basis of two special theories [Y. Z. Zhang, S. M. Mahajan, X. D. Zhang, Phys. Fluids B4, 2729 (1992); Y. Z. Zhang, T. Xie, Nucl. Fusion & Plasma Phys. 33, 193 (2013)], shows that a weak up-down asymmetric mode structure is normally formed in an up-down symmetric equilibrium; the weak up-down asymmetry in mode structure is the manifestation of non-trivial higher order effects beyond the standard ballooning equation. It is shown that the asymmetric mode may have even higher growth rate than symmetric modes. Salient features of the theory are illustrated by investigating a fluid model for the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode. The two dimensional (2D) analytical form of ITG mode, solved in ballooning representation, is then converted into the radial-poloidal space to provide the natural boundary condition for solving the 2D mathematical local eigenmode problem. We find the analytical expression of mode structure in good agreement with finite difference solution. This sets a reliable framework for quasi-linear computation.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2015

Quantum spirals

Quantum systems often exhibit fundamental incapability to entertain vortex. The Meissner effect, a complete expulsion of the magnetic field (the electromagnetic vorticity), for instance, is taken to be the defining attribute of the superconducting state. Superfluidity is another, close-parallel example; fluid vorticity can reside only on topological defects with a limited (quantized) amount. Recent developments in the Bose-Einstein condensates produced by particle traps further emphasize this characteristic. We show that the challenge of imparting vorticity to a quantum fluid can be met through a nonlinear mechanism operating in a hot fluid corresponding to a thermally modified Pauli-Schroedinger spinor field. In a simple field-free model, we show that the thermal effect, represented by a nonlinear, non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, in conjunction with spin vorticity, leads to new interesting quantum states; a spiral solution is explicitly worked out.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Magnetofluid Dynamics in curved spacetime

A grand unified field $\mathcal{M}^{μν}$ is constructed from Maxwell's Field tensor and appropriately modified flow field, both non-minimally coupled to gravity, to analyze the dynamics of hot charged fluids in curved background space-time. With a suitable $3+1$ decomposition, this new formalism of the hot fluid is then applied to investigate the vortical dynamics of the system. Finally, the equilibrium state for plasma with non-linear coupling through Ricci scalar $R$ to gravity is investigated to derive a double Beltrami equation in curved space-time.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Beltrami-Bernoulli Equilibria in Plasmas with Degenerate Electrons

A new class of Double Beltrami-Bernoulli equilibria, sustained by electron degeneracy pressure, are investigated. It is shown that due to electron degeneracy, a nontrivial Beltrami-Bernoulli equilibrium state is possible even for a zero temperature plasma. These states are, conceptually, studied to show the existence of new energy transformation pathways converting, for instance, the degeneracy energy into fluid kinetic energy. Such states may be of relevance to compact astrophysical objects like white dwarfs, neutron stars etc.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

A Relativistic Plasma Polarizer: Impact of Temperature Anisotropy on Relativistic Transparency

3D particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate that the enhanced transparency of a relativistically hot plasma is sensitive to how the energy is partitioned between different degrees of freedom. For an anisotropic electron distribution, propagation characteristics, like the critical density, will depend on the polarization of the electromagnetic wave. Despite the onset of the Weibel instability in such plasmas, the anisotropy can persist long enough to affect laser propagation. This plasma can then function as a polarizer or a waveplate to dramatically alter the pulse polarization.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Self-organization in foliated phase space: Construction of a scale hierarchy by adiabatic invariants of magnetized particles

Adiabatic invariants foliate phase space, and impart a macro-scale hierarchy by separating microscopic variables. On a macroscopic leaf, long-scale ordered structures are created while maximizing entropy. A plasma confined in a magnetosphere is invoked for unveiling the organizing principle ---in the vicinity of a magnetic dipole, the plasma self-organizes to a state with a steep density gradient. The resulting nontrivial structure has maximum entropy in an appropriate, constrained phase space. One could view such a phase space as a leaf foliated in terms of Casimir invariants ---adiabatic invariants measuring the number of quasi-particles (macroscopic representation of periodic motions) are identified as the relevant Casimir invariants. The density clump is created in response to the inhomogeneity of the energy level (frequency) of quasi-particles.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

Vortex Bubble Formation in Pair Plasmas

It is shown that delocalized vortex solitons in relativistic pair plasmas with small temperature asymmetries can be unstable for intermediate intensities of the background electromagnetic field. Instability leads to the generation of ever-expanding cavitating bubbles in which the electromagnetic fields are zero. The existence of such electromagnetic bubbles is demonstrated by qualitative arguments based on a hydrodynamic analogy, and by numerical solutions of the appropriate Nonlinear Schrödinger equation with a saturating nonlinearity.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

Local thermodynamics of a magnetized, anisotropic plasma

An expression for the internal energy of a fluid element in a weakly coupled, magnetized, anisotropic plasma is derived from first principles. The result is a function of entropy, particle density and magnetic field, and as such plays the role of a thermodynamic potential: it determines in principle all thermodynamic properties of the fluid element. In particular it provides equations of state for the magnetized plasma. The derivation uses familiar fluid equations, a few elements of kinetic theory, the MHD version of Faraday's law, and certain familiar stability and regularity conditions.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2009

Asymmetry-Driven Structure Formation in Pair Plasmas

The nonlinear propagation of electromagnetic waves in pair plasmas, in which the electrostatic potential plays a very important but subdominant role of a "binding glue" is investigated. Several mechanisms for structure formation are investigated, in particular, the "asymmetry" in the initial temperatures of the constituent species. It is shown that the temperature asymmetry leads to a (localizing) nonlinearity that is new and qualitatively different from the ones originating in ambient mass or density difference. The temperature asymmetry driven focusing-defocusing nonlinearity supports stable localized wave structures in 1-3 dimensions, which, for certain parameters, may have flat-top shapes.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2009

Stable Optical Vortex Solitons in Pair Plasmas

It is shown that the pair plasmas with small temperature asymmetry can support existence of localized as well as de-localized optical vortex solitons. Coexistence of such solitons is possible due to peculiar form of saturating nonlinearity which has a focusing-defocusing nature -- for weak amplitudes being focusing becoming defocusing for higher amplitudes. It is shown that delocalized vortex soliton is stable in entire region of its existence while single- and multi-charged localized vortex solitons are unstable for low amplitudes and become stable for relativistic amplitudes.

physics.plasm-ph↗