Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

MEMORANDUM-2
1. Maxwell’s equations

P
ε0 ∇ · E = nj qj Poisson’s equation

∇ × E = − ∂B
∂t
Faraday’s law

∇·B =0 ”Absence of free magnetic poles” law

1
P
µ0
∇ ×B = qj nj v j + ε0 ∂E
∂t
Ampere’s law + displacement current

²0 = 8.85 · 10−12 F/m permittivity of vacuum

µ0 = 4π10−7 H/m permeability of vacuum

2. Fluid equations

∂nj
∂t
+ ∇ · (nj v j ) = 0 Continuity equations (j=e,i)
h i
∂v j
mj nj ∂t
+ (v j · ∇)v j = qj nj (E + v j × B) − ∇Pj Momentum equations (j=e,i)

where Pj = nj KTj (pressure)

Pj
γ = const Equations of state (j=e,i)
nj j

γj = 1 isothermal compression

2+Nj
γj = Nj
adiabatic compression (Nj = # of degrees of freedom)

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

3. Fluid drift ⊥ B

E×B
E × B drift vE = B2

B×∇P
Diamagnetic drift vD = qnB 2

γKT ẑ×∇n
B = Bẑ ⇒ vD = qB n

TeV 1
|v D | = B Λ
¯ ¯
(Λ = ¯ nn0 ¯ = density scale length)

Diamagnetic current (γ = Z = 1) j D = en(v Di − v De ) = (KTe + KTi ) B×∇n

B2

4. Vector formulas

Gauss’s theorem:

If V is a volume enclosed by a surface S, and

dS = n · dS , where n is the unit normal outward
from V , then:
R R
dV ∇ · A = dS · A
V S

Stokes’ theorem:

If S is an open surface bounded by a contour C, the

line element of which is dl , then:
R H
dS · ∇ × A = dl · A
S C

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

What is a redundant equation?

A) mathematically: it can be obtained from other equations entering given equations set;

B) physically: it contains no new information concerning behavior of a system.

For example, consider the following set:


 x + y = 2; (1)
x − y = 0; (2)

x + 3y = 4; (3)

Let’s calculate: 2 ·(1) - (2):

2x + 2y − x + y = 4 − 0 ⇔ x + 3y = 4;

So, we have obtained the equation number (3) (no new information!) Main token: Neq > Nvar . This means
δN = Neq − Nvar equations can be dropped.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Problem 3-3
P
Show that equations ∇ · B = 0 and ε0 ∇ · E = nj qj are redundant in the set of Maxwell’s equations.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

1) Take divergence of Faraday’s law:

µ ¶
∂B ∂
∇ · (∇ × E) = −∇ · =− (∇ · B) (1)
∂t ∂t

Since
∂
∇ · (∇ × E) = 0 ⇒ (∇ · B) = 0 ⇒ ∇ · B = const
∂t

If ∇ · B = 0 at t=0 ⇒ ∇ · B = 0 at any time. Thus, ∇ · B = 0 is redundant.

2) Take divergence of Ampere’s law (with displacement current):

X µ ¶
1 ∂E
∇ · (∇ × B) = qj ∇ · (nj v j ) + ε0 ∇ · (2)
µ0 | {z } ∂t
=0

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Using,

µ ¶
∂nj ∂E ∂
∇ · (∇ × B) = 0, ∇ · (nj v j ) = − , ∇· = (∇ · E)
∂t ∂t ∂t
yields:

X ∂nj ∂ ∂ ³ X ´
0=− qj + ε0 (∇ · E) or ε0 (∇ · E) − qj n j = 0
∂t ∂t ∂t

P P
If ε0 (∇ · E) − qj nj = 0 initially, it is = 0 always. Thus, ε0 ∇ · E = nj qj is redundant.

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Problem 3-1

Derive the uniform-plasma low-frequency dielectric constant, by reconciling the time derivative of the equation

∇ · D = ∇ · (εE) = 0 (a)

with that of the vacuum Poisson equation,

ε0 ∇ · E = σ (b)

with the help of equations

∂σp
∂t
+ ∇ · jp = 0 (c)
ρ ∂E
j p = ne(v ip − v ep ) = B 2 ∂t
(d)

(σp = polarization charge, j p = polarization current, ρ = mass density).

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B = (0, 0, B); ω << ωc

Substituting expression for polarization current (d) into continuity equation (c) yields

µ ¶
∂σp ρ ∂E
= −∇ · . (1)
∂t B 2 ∂t

Taking ∂/∂t of Poisson’s equation (b) and using expression written above we find:

µ ¶
∂E ∂σp ρ ∂E
ε0 ∇ · = = −∇ · ⇒
∂t ∂t B 2 ∂t

µ³ ¶
ρ ´ ∂E
∇· ε0 + 2 =0 (2)
B ∂t

∂ε
Let’s take ∂/∂t of Eq.(a) connecting D with E and suppose ∂t
=0:

µ ¶ µ ¶
∂D ∂E
∇· =∇· ε =0 (3)
∂t ∂t

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Compare (2) and (3):

µ ¶ µ ¶
ρ c2
ε = ε0 1+ 2 = ε0 1+ 2 (4)
B ε0 VA

ρ = mi ni + me ne , n i ≈ ne , mi >> me , ρ ≈ mi ni

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Problem 3-6

An isothermal plasma is confined between the planes x = ±a in a magnetic field B = B0 ẑ . The density
distribution is n = n0 (1 − x2 /a2 ).

(a) Derive an expression for the electron diamagnetic drift velocity v De as a function of x.

(b) Draw a diagram showing the density profile and the direction of v De on both sides of the midplane if B is out
of the paper.

(c) Evaluate vDe at x = a/2 if B = 0.2 T, KTe = 2 eV, and a = 4 cm.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

B = ẑB
(a) General formula:

γKT ẑ × ∇n
vD = , (1)
qB n

γ = 1 (isothermal case), q = −e (electrons).

∂n 2n0
∇n = x̂ = −x̂ 2 x, ẑ × x̂ = ŷ (2)
∂x a

µ ¶−1 µ ¶ µ ¶
KTe 2n0 x 1 KTe 2x x2 ∼ x2 ∼ KTe 2x x2
v De = ŷ 2 2 2
= ŷ 1− 2 = for << 1 = ŷ 1+ 2 (3)
eB a n0 (1 − x /a ) eB a2 a a2 eB a2 a

(b)

(c)
µ ¶−1
KTe 2 a a2 4 KTe 4 2 · 1.6 × 10−19
vDe |x= a = 1− 2 = ⇒ vDe |a=4cm = ≈ 333 m/s
2 eB a2 2 4a 3 eBa 3 1.6 × 10−19 · 0.2 · 0.04

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Figure 1: A typical example of the diamagnetic current is the neutral sheet current. It transports positive charges from
dawn to dusk and negative charges from from dusk to dawn. Its cause is a gradient in plasma pressure perpendicular
to the current layer pointing from north to south in the upper (northern) part and from south to north in the lower
(southern) part. Hence, the current layer us a concentration of denses and hot plasma called the neutral sheet (weak
magnetic fields).

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Problem 3-7

A cylindrically symmetric plasma column in a uniform magnetic field has n(r) = n0 exp (−r2 /r02 ) and

ni = ne = n0 exp (eφ/KTe ) .

(a) Show that v E and v De are equal and opposite.

(b) Show that the plasma rotates as a solid body.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

B = ẑB

General formulas:

E×B
vE = (1)
B2

∇Pe × B
v De = (2)
ene B 2

(a) Start with v E drift:

¡ ± ¢ eφ r2
n0 exp −r2 r02 = n0 exp (eφ/KTe ) ⇒ =− 2
KTe r0

KTe r2
⇒ φ=− (3)
e r02

∂φ KTe 2r
E = −∇φ = −r̂ = r̂ (4)
∂r e r02

Er KTe 2r
vE = r̂ × ẑ = − θ̂ ⇒
Bz eB r02

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

2KTe
v E = −θ̂ r (5)
eBr02

Now let’s treat the diamagnetic drift:

∂ne 2KTe n0 ¡ ± ¢
∇Pe = KTe ∇ne = r̂KTe = −r̂ 2
r exp −r2 r02 ⇒
∂r r0

2KTe n0 r exp (−r2 /r02 )

v De = − r̂ × ẑ ⇒
r02 eB n0 exp (−r2 /r02 )

2KTe
v De = θ̂ r (6)
eBr02

Comparing Equation (5) and (6) gives:

v De = −v E

(b) v = ω × r relates linear velocity to angular one; magnitude of v is vθ = ωr.

Rotation as a solid body means that ω = vθ /r = const for any arbitrary chosen element located at r.

2KTe
|v E | = |v De | = vθ = r ⇒
eBr02

2KTe
ω= = const
eBr02

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Chapter 3: Plasmas as fluids

Problem 3-0

A radial electric field applied to a cylindrically symmetric plasma column in a uniform B- field results in the
plasma rotation with the electric drift velocity. Find the energy of the system. By comparing the result with the
energy of cylindrical capacitor determine the effective dielectric permittivity of a plasma.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

The kinetic energy of plasma rotation per unit volume,

vE2 E2
ρ =ρ 2
2 2B

, where E is the radial component of the electric field. Then the total energy density of plasma is given by

µ ¶ 2
E2 E2 ρ E
ε0 + ρ 2 = ε0 1 + 2
(1)
2 2B ε0 B 2

If now we will consider the same system as a cylindrical capacitor filled in by a plasma with dielectric
permittivity ε , the energy density of a capacitor is equal to ε0 εE 2 /2 . Comparing it with (1) we find the effective
dielectric permittivity of a plasma (in the direction perpendicular to the applied magnetic field)

ρ c2
ε=1+ = 1 + ,
ε0 B 2 vA2

vA2 = ( µB02ρ )−1 is the Alfven velocity, c2 = 1

ε0 µ0
.

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