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Phase‐space electron holes along magnetic field lines
Author(s) -
Muschietti L.,
Ergun R. E.,
Roth I.,
Carlson C. W.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl900207
Subject(s) - physics , electron , magnetic field , computational physics , population , phase space , amplitude , field (mathematics) , ion , particle in cell , optics , quantum mechanics , demography , mathematics , sociology , pure mathematics
Recent observations from satellites crossing active magnetic field lines have revealed solitary potential structures that move at speeds substantially greater than the ion thermal velocity. The structures appear as positive potential pulses rapidly drifting along the magnetic field. We interpret them as BGK electron holes supported by a population of trapped and passing electrons. Using Laplace transform techniques, we analyse the behavior of one phase‐space electron hole. The resulting potential shapes and electron distribution functions are self‐consistent and compatible with the field and particle data associated with the observed pulses. In particular, the spatial width increases with increasing amplitude. The stability of the analytic solution is tested by means of a two‐dimensional particle‐in‐cell simulation code with open boundaries. We also use our code to briefly investigate the influence of the ions. The nonlinear structure appears to be remarkably resilient.