Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: The Weibel instability is analyzed for quantum plasmas described by the Wigner–Maxwell model. For a suitable class of electromagnetic potentials, the Wigner–Maxwell system is linearized yielding a general dispersion relation for transverse electromagnetic waves. For a double Gaussian equilibrium with temperature anisotropy, the derived dispersion relation generalizes the classical Weibel instability equation. More detailed analytical results are obtained for the cases of extreme temperature anisotropy and for a three-dimensional water bag distribution. In all cases, quantum effects tend to weaken or suppress the instability. Applications are discussed for dense astrophysical objects such as white dwarfs and neutron stars as well as for tunnel-ionized plasmas with controllable perpendicular plasma temperature.
Source: Physics of Plasmas
DOI: 10.1063/1.2829071
Author: F. Haas
Institutions: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Ruhr University Bochum
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2048398595