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PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
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SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-8726
DTSTART:20240503T190000Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260413T205116Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240412T184713Z
LOCATION:Sterling 1313\; https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/96657012589
SUMMARY:A Study of Magnetized Plasma Turbulence in the Nonrelativistic
  and Relativistic Regimes\, Thesis Defense\, Cristian Vega\, Physics G
 raduate Student
DESCRIPTION:Turbulence is ubiquitous in space and astrophysical plasma
 s and is believed to play an important role in particle heating and no
 nthermal acceleration. These plasmas are commonly threaded by an exter
 nal magnetic field imposed by the object they surround (e.g.\, planet\
 , star)\, making magnetized plasma turbulence a problem of significant
  interest. In this thesis\, we use numerical simulations to study two 
 relatively unexplored regimes of magnetized plasma turbulence\, viz.\,
  the sub-electron inertial scale in nonrelativistic low electron beta 
 plasmas and both the magnetohydrodynamic and kinetic scales in relativ
 istically hot plasmas. Phenomenology is used to model the energy distr
 ibution of turbulent fluctuations and particles.<br>\n<br>\nIn the non
 relativistic regime studied\, energy dissipation is seen to be strongl
 y intermittent\, concentrating on electron-scale current sheets. A few
  of these current sheets exhibit signatures of electron-only reconnect
 ion.<br>\n<br>\nThe particle energy probability density function in th
 e relativistic regime displays a nonthermal tail of ultrarelativistic 
 particles that goes from power-law-like to log-normal as the guide fie
 ld is increased. We propose that this can be understood in terms of th
 e acceleration mechanism that dominates in each case. Also noteworthy 
 is the observed intermittency in the spatial distribution of ultrarela
 tivistic particles.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=8726
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