Kinetic Theory and Simulation of Ultra-Low-Frequency Waves in Magnetospheric Plasmas

卫星定期观测磁层中的超低频(ULF)波。这些观测强烈地表明，观测到的波对应于磁层等离子体的非线性状态。本项目将集中于对这些波的理论分析。将现有的线性陀螺动力学-磁流体程序推广到非线性状态。然后，该非线性程序将被用来研究在实际偶极磁场中Alfven波的激发和演化。该代码将包括有限磁压缩，以研究高β等离子体中的磁压缩模式。还将进一步开发线性代码，使其能够用于研究动态静电不稳定性。该程序将用于研究偶极等离子体中离子温度梯度模和囚禁粒子模的稳定性。最后，将使用广泛的测试粒子模拟来研究通过波-粒子相互作用的粒子的随机加热过程。该项目涉及一名博士后研究员、一名研究生和一名荣誉高中物理专业的学生。其结果将与卫星观测直接相关。

Satellites regularly observe Ultra-Low Frequency (ULF) waves in the magnetosphere. The observations strongly suggest that the observed waves correspond to nonlinear states of the magnetospheric plasma. This project will concentrate on the theoretical analysis of these waves. An existing linear gyrokinetic-magnetohydrodynamic code will be extended to the nonlinear states. The nonlinear code will then be used to study the excitation and evolution of Alfven waves in a realistic dipole magnetic field. The code will include finite magnetic compression in order to investigate magnetic compressional modes in high-beta plasmas. The linear code will also be further developed to allow it to be used to study kinetic electrostatic instabilities. The code will be used to study the stability properties of ion-temperature-gradient and trapped particle modes in dipole plasmas. Finally, extensive test-particle simulations will be used to study the process of stochastic heating of the particles via wave-particle interactions. The project involves a postdoctoral researcher, a graduate student and an Honor Senior physics major. The results will have direct bearing on satellite observations.