Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We present a self-consistent two-fluid theory demonstrating that pressure gradients simultaneously generate plasma flows and magnetic fields. We show that compatibility between ion momentum balance and mass conservation imposes a previously unrecognized constraint on plasma evolution: the total pressure must satisfy the Laplace equation, $\nabla^2 p = 0$. This condition yields a class of exact analytical solutions in which pressure-driven flows and Biermann-type magnetic fields emerge together. Application of the model to a galactic gas clump reveals that, under thermal pressure, electrons and ions move almost together, giving rise to weak currents and consequently very small seed magnetic fields. Ion dynamics are also important for determining the seed magnetic-field generation time $τ_B$ and for estimating the ion flow velocity. The model is further applied to laser-produced plasma to describe its short-time evolution. The present theory provides a unified, self-consistent description of pressure-driven flow generation and magnetogenesis in both astrophysical and laboratory plasmas.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Saleem, Zain H., Saleem, Hamid
Institution: Argonne National Laboratory
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7154182633
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