Expansion-Driven Self-Magnetization of High-Energy-Density Plasmas
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866913014097117184 |
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| author | Lezhnin, K. V. Totorica, S. R. Griff-McMahon, J. Medvedev, M. Landsberger, H. Diallo, A. Fox, W. |
| author_facet | Lezhnin, K. V. Totorica, S. R. Griff-McMahon, J. Medvedev, M. Landsberger, H. Diallo, A. Fox, W. |
| contents | Understanding plasma self-magnetization is one of the fundamental challenges in both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Self-magnetization can modify the plasma transport properties, altering the dynamical evolution of plasmas. Multiple high-energy-density (HED) experiments have observed the formation of ion-scale magnetic filaments of megagauss strength, though their origin remains debated. Here, we conduct 2D collisional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with a laser ray-tracing module for a fully self-consistent simulation of the plasma ablation, expansion, and magnetization. The simulations use a planar geometry, effectively suppressing the Biermann magnetic fields, to focus on anisotropy-driven instabilities. The laser intensity is varied between $10^{13}$ and $10^{14}$ W/$\rm cm^2$, which is relevant to HED and inertial fusion experiments where collisions must be considered. We find that above a critical intensity, the plasma rapidly self-magnetizes via an expansion-driven Weibel process, producing plasma beta of 100 ($β= 8πk_B n_eT_e/B^2$) and Hall parameter $ω_{\rm ce}τ_{e}>1$ within the first few hundred picoseconds. The magnetic field is sufficiently strong to modify plasma heat transport, and simulations with artificially suppressed magnetic field show noticeably different temperature profiles. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_15624 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Expansion-Driven Self-Magnetization of High-Energy-Density Plasmas Lezhnin, K. V. Totorica, S. R. Griff-McMahon, J. Medvedev, M. Landsberger, H. Diallo, A. Fox, W. Plasma Physics Understanding plasma self-magnetization is one of the fundamental challenges in both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Self-magnetization can modify the plasma transport properties, altering the dynamical evolution of plasmas. Multiple high-energy-density (HED) experiments have observed the formation of ion-scale magnetic filaments of megagauss strength, though their origin remains debated. Here, we conduct 2D collisional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with a laser ray-tracing module for a fully self-consistent simulation of the plasma ablation, expansion, and magnetization. The simulations use a planar geometry, effectively suppressing the Biermann magnetic fields, to focus on anisotropy-driven instabilities. The laser intensity is varied between $10^{13}$ and $10^{14}$ W/$\rm cm^2$, which is relevant to HED and inertial fusion experiments where collisions must be considered. We find that above a critical intensity, the plasma rapidly self-magnetizes via an expansion-driven Weibel process, producing plasma beta of 100 ($β= 8πk_B n_eT_e/B^2$) and Hall parameter $ω_{\rm ce}τ_{e}>1$ within the first few hundred picoseconds. The magnetic field is sufficiently strong to modify plasma heat transport, and simulations with artificially suppressed magnetic field show noticeably different temperature profiles. |
| title | Expansion-Driven Self-Magnetization of High-Energy-Density Plasmas |
| topic | Plasma Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.15624 |