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Minimum dissipative relaxed states applied to laboratory and space plasmas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2009

B. DASGUPTA ,
DASTGEER SHAIKH ,
Q. HU  and
G. P. ZANK
B. DASGUPTA
Affiliation:
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA (dastgeer@ucr.edu)
DASTGEER SHAIKH
Affiliation:
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA (dastgeer@ucr.edu)
Q. HU
Affiliation:
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA (dastgeer@ucr.edu)
G. P. ZANK
Affiliation:
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA (dastgeer@ucr.edu)
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Abstract

The usual theory of plasma relaxation, based on the selective decay of magnetic energy over the (global) magnetic helicity, predicts a force-free state for a plasma. Such a force-free state is inadequate to describe most realistic plasma systems occurring in laboratory and space plasmas as it produces a zero pressure gradient and cannot couple magnetic fields with flow. A different theory of relaxation has been proposed by many authors, based on a well-known principle of irreversible thermodynamics, the principle of minimum entropy production rate which is equivalent to the minimum dissipation rate of energy. We demonstrate the applicability of minimum dissipative relaxed states to various self-organized systems of magnetically confined plasma in the laboratory and in the astrophysical context. Such relaxed states are shown to produce a number of basic characteristics of laboratory plasma confinement systems and solar arcade structure.

Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 75 , Issue 2 , April 2009 , pp. 273 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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