Phase mixing of shear Alfvén waves as a new mechanism for electron acceleration in collisionless, kinetic plasmas

Particle-in-cell (kinetic) simulations of shear Alfv´en wave (AW) interaction with one-dimensional, across the uniform-magnetic field, density inhomogeneity (phase mixing) in collisionless plasma were performed for the first time. As a result, a new electron acceleration mechanism is discovered. Progressive distortion of the AW front, due to the differences in local Alfv´en speed, generates electrostatic fields nearly parallel to the magnetic field, which accelerate electrons via Landau damping. Surprisingly, the amplitude decay law in the inhomogeneous regions, in the kinetic regime, is the same as in the MHD approximation described by Heyvaerts and Priest (1983 Astron. Astrophys. 117 220)

Critical exponent in the magnetization curve of quantum spin chains

The ground state magnetization curve around the critical magnetic field $H_c$ of quantum spin chains with the spin gap is investigated. We propose a size scaling method to estimate the critical exponent $\delta$ defined as $m\sim |H-H_c|^{1/\delta}$ from finite cluster calculation. The applications of the method to the S=1 antiferromagnetic chain and S=1/2 bond alternating chain lead to a common conclusion $\delta =2$. The same result is derived for both edges of the magnetization plateau of the S=3/2 antiferromagnetic chain with the single ion anisotropy.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex, with 4 eps figure

Metamagnetism of antiferromagnetic XXZ quantum spin chains

The magnetization process of the one-dimensional antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with the Ising-like anisotropic exchange interaction is studied by the exact diagonalization technique. It results in the evidence of the first-order spin flop transition with a finite magnetization jump in the N\'eel ordered phase for $S\geq 1$. It implies that the S=1/2 chain is an exceptional case where the metamagnetic transition becomes second-order due to large quantum fluctuations.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex, with 6 eps figure

Field induced transition of the S=1 antiferromagnetic chain with anisotropy

The ground state magnetization process of the S=1 antiferromagnetic chain with the easy-axis single-ion anisotropy described by negative $D$ is investigated. It is numerically found that a phase transition between two different gapless phases occurs at an intermediate magnetic field between the starting and saturation points of the magnetization for $-1.49<D<-0.35$. The transition is similar to the spin flopping, but it is second-order and not accompanied with any significant anomalous behaviors in the magnetization curve. We also present the phase diagrams in the m-D and H-D planes which reveal a possible re-entrant transition.Comment: 6 pages, Revtex, with 6 eps figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B (Sep. 1

Relativistic particle acceleration in an electron–positron plasma with a relativistic electron beam

Results from three‐dimensional electromagnetic particle simulations of an electron–positron plasma with a relativistic electron beam (γ=2) are presented. As part of the initial conditions, a poloidal magnetic field is specified, consistent with the current carried by the beam electrons. The beam undergoes pinching oscillations due to the pressure imbalance. A transverse two‐stream instability is excited with large helical perturbations. In the process, background electrons and positrons are heated and accelerated up to relativistic energy levels. Only background electrons are accelerated farther along the z direction due the synergetic effects by both the damped transverse mode and the accompanying electrostatic waves caused by the breakdown of the helical perturbations. © 1994 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70513/2/PHPAEN-1-12-4114-1.pd

Magnetically Stabilized Nematic Order I: Three-Dimensional Bipartite Optical Lattices

We study magnetically stabilized nematic order for spin-one bosons in optical lattices. We show that the Zeeman field-driven quantum transitions between non-nematic Mott states and quantum spin nematic states in the weak hopping limit are in the universality class of the ferromagnetic XXZ (S=1/2) spin model. We further discuss these transitions as condensation of interacting magnons. The development of O(2) nematic order when external fields are applied corresponds to condensation of magnons, which breaks a U(1) symmetry. Microscopically, this results from a coherent superposition of two non-nematic states at each individual site. Nematic order and spin wave excitations around critical points are studied and critical behaviors are obtained in a dilute gas approximation. We also find that spin singlet states are unstable with respect to quadratic Zeeman effects and Ising nematic order appears in the presence of any finite quadratic Zeeman coupling. All discussions are carried out for states in three dimensional bipartite lattices.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figure

Study of nonlinear Alfvén waves in an electron–positron plasma with a three‐dimensional electromagnetic particle code

Results from three‐dimensional (3‐D) electromagnetic particle simulations of Alfvén waves generated by an electron beam in a nonrelativistic electron–positron plasma are presented. The results show that electrostatic modes are excited due to the beam instability. The bunches of the particles (electrons and positrons) caused by electrostatic waves are directly involved in the generation of Alfvén waves. The Alfvén waves propagate along the beam as damped solitons accelerating the background particles. The simulation results are in good agreement with theoretical analysis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69730/2/PHPAEN-1-1-103-1.pd