Collisionless distribution function for the relativistic force-free Harris sheet
Abstract
A self-consistent collisionless distribution function for the relativistic analogue of the force-free Harris sheet is presented. This distribution function is the relativistic generalization of the distribution function for the non-relativistic collisionless force-free Harris sheet recently found by Harrison and Neukirch [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 135003 (2009)], as it has the same dependence on the particle energy and canonical momenta. We present a detailed calculation which shows that the proposed distribution function generates the required current density profile (and thus magnetic field profile) in a frame of reference in which the electric potential vanishes identically. The connection between the parameters of the distribution function and the macroscopic parameters such as the current sheet thickness is discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3677268]
Citation
Stark , C R & Neukirch , T 2012 , ' Collisionless distribution function for the relativistic force-free Harris sheet ' , Physics of Plasmas , vol. 19 , no. 1 , 012115 . https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3677268
Publication
Physics of Plasmas
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1070-664XType
Journal article
Rights
Copyright (2012) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The published article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3677268
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