• Login
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    Simulations of Electron Kinetics in Solar Wind Turbulence 
    •   QMRO Home
    • Queen Mary University of London Theses
    • Theses
    • Simulations of Electron Kinetics in Solar Wind Turbulence
    •   QMRO Home
    • Queen Mary University of London Theses
    • Theses
    • Simulations of Electron Kinetics in Solar Wind Turbulence
    ‌
    ‌

    Browse

    All of QMROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects
    ‌
    ‌

    Administrators only

    Login
    ‌
    ‌

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Simulations of Electron Kinetics in Solar Wind Turbulence

    View/Open
    Haynes, Christopher Thomas 081014.pdf (17.38Mb)
    Publisher
    Queen Mary University of London
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Solar wind plasma is a turbulent medium, with processes that operate on many scales. Observations below proton scales are rare. Future spacecraft missions will have the required resolution to make these observations, so theoretical experiments and simulations at these scales will become increasingly important in order to match observations to theory. In this thesis, kinetic simulations are used to study electron dynamics within a turbulent electron-proton plasma. Firstly in this thesis, a study of the formation of electron temperature anisotropy due to magnetic reconnection is presented using particle in cell (PIC) simulations of the turbulent decay of sub-proton scale fluctuations. A fluctuation power spectrum with approximately power law form down to scales of order the electron gyroradius is formed. The signatures of collisionless reconnection within the turbulent field are generally associated with regions of strong parallel electron temperature anisotropy. Electrons from spatially different locations, can mix at reconnection sites, generating multi-peaked velocity distribution functions, which could become unstable to further instabilities. This is evidence of an important role for reconnection in the dissipation of small scale turbulent fluctuations. Secondly, a new type of electron scale vortex is discussed, which can spontaneously form during the simulations of turbulence. These are generated by electrons in (quasi) trapped orbits, which diamagnetically reduce the local magnetic field, creating a coherent structure. The properties of these vortices are categorized and compared to observations of similar structures called “magnetic holes” observed within the Earth’s plasma sheet. Finally, we look to understand what dissipation is in a collisionless plasma. We examine signatures of dissipation in the previous simulations, and in simulations where electrostatic electron-electron beam modes are generated within the turbulence.
    Authors
    Haynes, Christopher Thomas
    URI
    http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8245
    Collections
    • Theses [3711]
    Twitter iconFollow QMUL on Twitter
    Twitter iconFollow QM Research
    Online on twitter
    Facebook iconLike us on Facebook
    • Site Map
    • Privacy and cookies
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility
    • Contacts
    • Intranet
    • Current students

    Modern Slavery Statement

    Queen Mary University of London
    Mile End Road
    London E1 4NS
    Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5555

    © Queen Mary University of London.