Dynamics of Alfv\'en waves in partially ionized astrophysical plasmas

We develop a two dimensional, self-consistent, compressible fluid model to study evolution of Alfvenic modes in partially ionized astrophysical and space plasmas. The partially ionized plasma consists mainly of electrons, ions and significant neutral atoms. The nonlinear interactions amongst these species take place predominantly through direct collision or charge exchange processes. Our model uniquely describe the interaction processes between two distinctly evolving fluids. In our model, the electrons and ions are described by a single fluid compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model and are coupled self-consistently to the neutral fluid via compressible hydrodynamic equations. Both plasma and neutral fluids are treated with different energy equations that adequately enable us to monitor non adiabatic and thermal energy exchange processes between these two distinct fluids. Based on our self-consistent model, we find that the propagation speed of Alfvenic modes in space and astrophysical plasma is slowed down because these waves are damped predominantly due to direct collisions with the neutral atoms. Consequently, energy transfer takes place between plasma and neutral fluids. We describe the mode coupling processes that lead to the energy transfer between the plasma and neutral and corresponding spectral features.Comment: To appear in Journal of Plasma Physic

An analytic model of plasma-neutral coupling in the heliosphere plasma

We have developed an analytic model to describe coupling of plasma and neutral fluids in the partially ionized heliosphere plasma medium. The sources employed in our analytic model are based on a $\kappa$-distribution as opposed to the Maxwellian distribution function. Our model uses the $\kappa$-distribution to analytically model the energetic neutral atoms that result in the heliosphere partially ionized plasma from charge exchange with the protons and subsequently produce a long tail which is otherwise not describable by the Maxwellian distribution. We present our analytic formulation and describe major differences in the sources emerging from these two distinct distributions.Comment: This paper has been accepted in Journal of Plasma Physics. It is in pres

Whistler Wave Turbulence in Solar Wind Plasma

Whistler waves are present in solar wind plasma. These waves possess characteristic turbulent fluctuations that are characterized typically by the frequency and length scales that are respectively bigger than ion gyro frequency and smaller than ion gyro radius. The electron inertial length is an intrinsic length scale in whistler wave turbulence that distinguishably divides the high frequency solar wind turbulent spectra into scales smaller and bigger than the electron inertial length. We present nonlinear three dimensional, time dependent, fluid simulations of whistler wave turbulence to investigate their role in solar wind plasma. Our simulations find that the dispersive whistler modes evolve entirely differently in the two regimes. While the dispersive whistler wave effects are stronger in the large scale regime, they do not influence the spectral cascades which are describable by a Kolmogorov-like $k^{-7/3}$ spectrum. By contrast, the small scale turbulent fluctuations exhibit a Navier-Stokes like evolution where characteristic turbulent eddies exhibit a typical $k^{-5/3}$ hydrodynamic turbulent spectrum. By virtue of equipartition between the wave velocity and magnetic fields, we quantify the role of whistler waves in the solar wind plasma fluctuations.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of Solar Wind 1

Self-consistent Simulations of Plasma-Neutral in a Partially Ionized Astrophysical Turbulent Plasma

A local turbulence model is developed to study energy cascades in the heliosheath and outer heliosphere (OH) based on self-consistent two-dimensional fluid simulations. The model describes a partially ionized magnetofluid OH that couples a neutral hydrogen fluid with a plasma primarily through charge-exchange interactions. Charge-exchange interactions are ubiquitous in warm heliospheric plasma, and the strength of the interaction depends largely on the relative speed between the plasma and the neutral fluid. Unlike small-length scale linear collisional dissipation in a single fluid, charge-exchange processes introduce channels that can be effective on a variety of length scales that depend on the neutral and plasma densities, temperature, relative velocities, charge-exchange cross section, and the characteristic length scales. We find, from scaling arguments and nonlinear coupled fluid simulations, that charge-exchange interactions modify spectral transfer associated with large-scale energy-containing eddies. Consequently, the turbulent cascade rate prolongs spectral transfer among inertial range turbulent modes. Turbulent spectra associated with the neutral and plasma fluids are therefore steeper than those predicted by Kolmogorov's phenomenology. Our work is important in the context of the global heliospheric interaction, the energization and transport of cosmic rays, gamma-ray bursts, interstellar density spectra, etc. Furthermore, the plasma-neutral coupling is crucial in understanding the energy dissipation mechanism in molecular clouds and star formation processes.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of Solar Wind 1

Theory and Simulations of Whistler Wave Propagation

A linear theory of whistler wave is developed wihtin the paradigm of a two dimensional incompressible electron magnetohydrodynamics model. Exact analytic wave solutions are obtained for a small amplitude whistler wave that exhibit magnetic field topological structures consistent with the observations and our simulations in linear regime. In agreement with experiment, we find that the parallel group velocity of the wave is large compared to its perpendicular counterpart. Numerical simulations of collisional interactions demonstrate that the wave magnetic field either coalesces or repels depending upon the polarity of the associated current. In the nonlinear regime, our simulations demonstrate that the evolution of wave magnetic field is governed essentially by the nonlinear Hall force

Inhomogeneous whistler turbulence in low beta space plasmas

A nonlinear two dimensional fluid model of whistler turbulence is developed that nonlinearly couples wave magnetic field with electron density perturbations. This coupling leads essentially to finite compressibility effects in whistler turbulence model. Interestingly it is found from our simulations that despite strong compressibility effects, the density fluctuations couple only weakly to the wave magnetic field fluctuations. In a characteristic regime where large scale whistlers are predominant, the weakly coupled density fluctuations do not modify inertial range energy cascade processes. Consequently, the turbulent energy is dominated by the large scale (compared to electron inertial length) eddies and it follows a Kolmogorov-like $k^{-7/3}$ spectrum, where $k$ is a characteristic wavenumber. The weak coupling of the density fluctuations is explained on the basis of a whistler wave parameter that quantifies the contribution of density perturbations in the wave magnetic field.Comment: This paper is accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ