Turbulence in Magnetized Pair Plasmas

Abstract

Alfvénic-type turbulence in strongly magnetized, low-beta pair plasmas is investigated. A coupled set of equations for the evolution of the magnetic and flow potentials are derived, covering both fluid and kinetic scales. In the fluid (magnetohydrodynamic) range those equations are the same as for electron–ion plasmas, so turbulence at those scales is expected to be of the Alfvénic nature, exhibiting critical balance, dynamic alignment, and transition to a tearing-mediated regime at small scales. The critical scale at which a transition to a tearing-mediated range occurs is derived, and the spectral slope in that range is predicted to be k-⁸/³ (or k-³, depending on details of the reconnecting configuration assumed). At scales below the electron (and positron) skin depth, it is argued that turbulence is dictated by a cascade of the inertial Alfvén wave, which we show to result in the magnetic energy spectrum [subscript]∞k-¹¹/³. ©2018 Keywords: magnetic fields; magnetic reconnection; plasmas; turbulence