Fast Magnetosonic Turbulence in Two-Dimensional Relativistic Plasmas

Abstract

We present fully kinetic simulations of driven 2D turbulence in a relativistic plasma, designed for the first time to induce a fast magnetosonic cascade. As the driving strength increases, turbulence transitions from a weak wave-dominated regime to strong shock-driven dynamics. Using spatiotemporal Fourier analysis, we identify fast modes, finding that the weak turbulence regime exhibits spectral properties that are in excellent agreement with theoretical expectations. Our results are relevant for the modeling of turbulence in high-energy astrophysical plasmas.

6 pages, 4 figures in the main paper. Supplemental Material has 4 pages, 2 figures