Relativistic resistive magnetohydrodynamics for a two-component plasma

Abstract

We derive relativistic resistive magnetohydrodynamics for a two-component ultrarelativistic plasma directly from kinetic theory. Starting with the Boltzmann--Vlasov equation and using the 14-moment approximation in the Landau frame, we obtain coupled evolution equations for the charge diffusion four-current and the shear-stress tensor. Benchmarking against the usual Israel-Stewart type relaxation form shows that this simplified description is accurate for small viscosity to entropy ($\hat{I}\cdot /s$) ratio, vanishing magnetic field, and not so strong electric field. Outside this regime the dynamics depart in a controlled way, i.e., strong electric fields introduce nonlinear back-reaction that delays and reduces current peaks, and a sizable shear-stress is produced even without a flow profile.

24 pages, 5 figures, To be submitted to PRD