Generation of large-scale magnetic flows in turbulent plasma

2004 
Nonlinear dynamics of the magnetic electron drift mode turbulence is outlined and generation of large-scale magnetic structures in a nonuniform unmagnetized plasma by turbulent Reynolds stress is demonstrated. A two-component turbulent system consisting of magnetic fluctuations and generated secondary flows is considered. The evolution equations for mean magnetic flow generation are obtained by averaging the two-field model equations over fast small scales. It is found, in turn, that the pattern of the flow modulates and regulates the turbulence dynamics. The main features of the flows are controlled by the structure of the nonlinear coupling to the small-scale magnetic fluctuations as well as by the spectral properties of the turbulence and its anisotropy. Thus, the parent waves and secondary magnetic flows form a self-regulating system. It is shown that the presence of large-scale structures leads to shearing of turbulence. The k-space diffusion coefficient for the magnetic zonal flows and streamers are...
    • Correction
    • Source
    • Cite
    • Save
    • Machine Reading By IdeaReader
    31
    References
    8
    Citations
    NaN
    KQI
    []