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Alfvénic Solitary and Shock Waves in Plasmas

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Multi-scale Dynamical Processes in Space and Astrophysical Plasmas

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings ((ASSSP,volume 33))

Abstract

We present a review of nonlinear Alfvénic solitary and shock waves in a magnetized electron-ion plasma. The dynamics of these nonlinear dispersive Alfvén waves is governed by the two-fluid equations, coupled with Faraday’s and Ampère’s laws. First, we demonstrate the existence of large amplitude compressional Alfvénic solitary and shock waves propagating across the external magnetic field in a warm electron-ion magnetoplasma. It is found that these nonlinear structures can exist in well defined speed ranges above the Alfvén speed, and their widths are several times larger than the electron skin depths. Second, we study the formation of nonlinear slow magnetosonic solitary (SMS) waves propagating almost perpendicular to the external magnetic field direction. The propagation speed of the SMS waves is below the Alfvén speed and their width is a few ion skin depth in a collisionless magnetoplasma. The nonlinear dispersive Alfvén waves, as discussed here, can be associated with localized electromagnetic field excitations in magnetized laboratory and space plasmas that are composed of magnetized electrons and ions.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through the project SH21/3-2 of the Research Unit 1048.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Centre for Advanced Studies in Physical Sciences and Institute for Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Ruhr University Bochum, D-44780, Bochum, Germany, EU

    Padma Kant Shukla

  2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, CA, 92093, La Jolla, USA

    Padma Kant Shukla

  3. International Centre for Advanced Studies in Physical Sciences and Institute for Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Ruhr University Bochum, D-44780, Bochum, Germany

    Bengt Eliasson

  4. Department of Physics, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden

    Lennart Stenflo

Authors
  1. Padma Kant Shukla
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  2. Bengt Eliasson
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  3. Lennart Stenflo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Padma Kant Shukla .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Inst. of Astro- and Particle Physics, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria

    Manfred P. Leubner

  2. , Inst. of Astro- and Particle Physics, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria

    Zoltán Vörös

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Shukla, P.K., Eliasson, B., Stenflo, L. (2012). Alfvénic Solitary and Shock Waves in Plasmas. In: Leubner, M., Vörös, Z. (eds) Multi-scale Dynamical Processes in Space and Astrophysical Plasmas. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, vol 33. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30442-2_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30442-2_15

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-30441-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-30442-2

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