Saturation Level of Ion Weibel Instability and Isotropization Length Scale in Electron-Ion Weibel-Mediated Shocks

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Main Authors: Jikei, Taiki, Amano, Takanobu
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Jikei, Taiki
Amano, Takanobu
author_facet Jikei, Taiki
Amano, Takanobu
contents Ion Weibel instability is considered to be the dominant physics for the dissipation in high-Mach number astrophysical shocks such as supernova remnant shocks and gamma-ray burst shocks. We study the instability dependence on various parameters using theory and particle-in-cell simulations. We demonstrate that electron physics determines the saturation level of the Weibel-generated magnetic field, even though the instability is driven by the ions. We discuss the application to astrophysical and laboratory laser experiment environments to clarify the roles of the ion Weibel instability. We develop a model for the isotropization length scale in Weibel-mediated shocks and compare its value to other characteristic length scales of each system. We find that electron heating to near equipartition is crucial for the formation of ultra-relativistic Weibel-mediated shocks. On the other hand, our results imply that non-relativistic shocks in typical interstellar medium are not purely mediated by the Weibel instability.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2405_00462
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Saturation Level of Ion Weibel Instability and Isotropization Length Scale in Electron-Ion Weibel-Mediated Shocks
Jikei, Taiki
Amano, Takanobu
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Plasma Physics
Ion Weibel instability is considered to be the dominant physics for the dissipation in high-Mach number astrophysical shocks such as supernova remnant shocks and gamma-ray burst shocks. We study the instability dependence on various parameters using theory and particle-in-cell simulations. We demonstrate that electron physics determines the saturation level of the Weibel-generated magnetic field, even though the instability is driven by the ions. We discuss the application to astrophysical and laboratory laser experiment environments to clarify the roles of the ion Weibel instability. We develop a model for the isotropization length scale in Weibel-mediated shocks and compare its value to other characteristic length scales of each system. We find that electron heating to near equipartition is crucial for the formation of ultra-relativistic Weibel-mediated shocks. On the other hand, our results imply that non-relativistic shocks in typical interstellar medium are not purely mediated by the Weibel instability.
title Saturation Level of Ion Weibel Instability and Isotropization Length Scale in Electron-Ion Weibel-Mediated Shocks
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.00462