Mechanisms for Multi-Scale Structures in Dense Degenerate Astrophysical Plasmas

Abstract

Two distinct routes lead to the creation of multi--scale equilibrium structures in dense degenerate plasmas, often met in astrophysical conditions. By analyzing an e-p-i plasma consisting of degenerate electrons and positrons with a small contamination of mobile classical ions, we show the creation of a new macro scale $L_{\mathrm{macro}}$ (controlled by ion concentration). The temperature and degeneracy enhancement effective inertia of bulk e-p components also makes the effective skin depths larger (much larger) than the standard skin depth. The emergence of these intermediate and macro scales lends immense richness to the process of structure formation, and vastly increases the channels for energy transformations. The possible role played by this mechanism in explaining the existence of large-scale structures in astrophysical objects with degenerate plasmas, is examined.

12 pages, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Science

References in corpus (3)

• Corona of Magnetars
• Electromagnetic Solitons in Degenerate Relativistic Electron-Positron Plasma
• Beltrami-Bernoulli Equilibria in Plasmas with Degenerate Electrons

Cited by in corpus (11)

• On the Relaxed States in the Mixture of Degenerate and Non-Degenerate Hot Plasmas of Astrophysical Objects
• Dynamical fast flow generation/acceleration in dense degenerate two-fluid plasmas of astrophysical objects
• Macro-scale fast flow and magnetic field generation in 2-temperature relativistic electron-ion plasmas of astrophysical objects
• Mechanism for flow generation/acceleration in dense degenerate stellar atmospheres
• Self-organized multiscale structures in thermally relativistic electron-positron-ion plasmas
• On the quadruple Beltrami fields in thermally relativistic electron-positron-ion plasma
• Multiscale structures in three species magnetoplasmas with two positive ions
• Impact of temperature asymmetry and small fraction of static positive ions on the relaxed states of a relativistic hot pair plasma
• Self-organization of earth's inner magnetospheric multi-ion plasma
• Relaxation of a Two Electron-Temperature Relativistic Hot Electron-Positron-Ion Plasma
• Quadruple Beltrami field structures in electron-positron multi-ion plasma