Premium
Cascade of whistler turbulence: Particle‐in‐cell simulations
Author(s) -
Gary S. Peter,
Saito Shinji,
Li Hui
Publication year - 2008
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 - 10.1029/2007gl032327
Subject(s) - whistler , physics , wavenumber , magnetic field , energy cascade , electron , turbulence , computational physics , cascade , anisotropy , atomic physics , optics , quantum mechanics , mechanics , chemistry , chromatography
A two‐dimensional electromagnetic particle‐in‐cell simulation in a magnetized, homogeneous, collisionless plasma of electrons and protons has been carried out, demonstrating a forward cascade of whistler turbulence. Enhanced magnetic fluctuation spectra are initially imposed with −0.2 < k ∥ c / ω e < 0.2 and −0.2 < k ⊥ c / ω e < 0.2 where the directional subscripts denote directions relative to the background magnetic field B o and c / ω e is the electron inertial length. The late‐time evolution of the simulation shows a cascade of magnetic fluctuation energy to shorter wavelengths; furthermore, the spectrum is anisotropic with more fluctuation energy at a given wavenumber perpendicular to B o than at the same wavenumber parallel to the background field. The late‐time electron velocity distribution shows a magnetic‐field aligned signature due to the Landau resonance of the obliquely propagating whistlers.