Cosmic Plasma

178 Pages·1981·7.249 MB·English

by  Hannes Alfvén (auth.)

COSMIC PLASMA
ASTROPHYSICS AND
SPACE SCIENCE LIBRARY
A SERIES OF BOOKS ON THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
OF SPACE SCIENCE AND OF GENERAL GEOPHYSICS AND ASTROPHYSICS
PUBLISHED IN CONNECTION WITH THE JOURNAL
SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
Editorial Board
J. E. BLAMONT, Laboratoire d'Aeronomie, Verrieres, France
R. 1. F. BOYD, University College, London, England
1. GOLDBERG, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz., U.S.A.
C. DE JAGER, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Z. KOPAL, University ofM anchester, England
G. H. LUDWIG, NOAA, National Environmental Satellite Service, Suitland, Md., U.S.A.
R. LUST, President Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften, Miinchen, F.R. G.
B. M. McCORMAC, Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, Palo Alto, Calif., U.S.A.
H. E. NEWELL, Alexandria, Va., U.S.A.
1. I. SEDOV, Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., Moscow, U.S.S.R.
Z. SVESTKA, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
VOLUME 82
COSMIC PLASMA
by
HANNES ALFVEN
University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
and
Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Plasma Physics,
Stockholm, Sweden
D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY
DORDRECHT : HOLLAND / BOSTON: U.S.A.
LONDON: ENGLAND
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Alfven, Hannes, 1908-
Cosmic plasma.
(Astrophysics and space science library ; v. 82)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Plasma (Ionized gases) 2. Outer space.
3. Cosmology. I. Title. II. Series.
QB500.A39 523.01 80-27868
ISBN-13: 978-94-009-8376-2 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-8374-8
001: 10.1007/978-94-009-8374-8
Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company,
P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, Holland.
Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada
by Kluwer Boston Inc.,
190 Old Derby Street, Hingham, MA 02043, U.S.A.
In all other countries, sold and distributed
by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group,
P.O. Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, Holland.
D. Reidel Publishing Company is a member of the Kluwer Group.
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 1981 by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland
Softcover reprint of the hardcover I st edition 1981
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical
including photocopying, recording or by any informational storage and
retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner
T ABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ~
CHAPTERI/SURVEY 1
1.1. Experimental and Theoretical Approach to Plasma Physics 1
1.2. Plasma Phenomena in Laboratory and Space 4
1.2.1. Scaling Procedures 4
1.2.2. Simulation Experiments 5
1.2.3. Comparison Between Laboratory and Space Investigations 6
1.3. Field and Particle Aspects of Plasmas 6
1.4. Present State of the Classical Theory 8
1.5. Boundary Conditions. Circuit Dependence 9
1.6. Cosmology and the Origin of the Solar System 9
1.7. Aims of the Monograph 9
CHAPTER II / ELECTRIC CURRENTS IN SPACE PLASMAS 11
11.1. Dualism in Physics 11
11.2 . Particle-Related Phenomena in Plasma Physics 12
11.3. Magnetic Field Unes 12
11.3.1. Magnetic Field and Electric Current Description of the
Magnetosphere 13
11.3.2. Particle Motion in the Magnetosphere 15
11.3.3. Conclusions About 'Field line Reconnection' and 'Merging'
in the Stationary Magnetosphere 16
11.4. Filaments 16
11.4.1. Observations of Filaments 16
11.4.2. Constriction of a Discharge 21
11.4.3. Pinch Effect. The Bennett Relation 22
11.4.4. Filamentary Currents in Force-Free Magnetic Fields 23
11.4.5. Theory of Magnetic Ropes 25
11.4.6. Ion Pumps 26
11.4.7. Flux Ropes in the Ionosphere of Venus 26
11.5. Local Plasma Properties and the Circuit 26
11.5.1. Boundary Conditions 28
11.5.2. 'Invisible' Transfer of Energy 28
11.5.3. 'Magnetic Merging' Theories 29
11.6. Electric Double Layers 29
11.6.1. General Properties of Double Layers 29
11.6.2. Double Layers in the Magnetosphere 32
11.6.3. Energy Release in Double Layers 33
vi T ABLE OF CONTENTS
II.6.4. Exploding Double Layers 33
11.6.5. A Circuit with a Double Layer 34
11.7. Field-Aligned Currents as 'Cables' 36
11.8. An Expanding Circuit 37
11.9. Different Types of Plasma Regions 37
11.9.1. 'Passive' Plasma Regions
11.9.2. 'Active' Plasma Regions 37
11.93. Plasma Cables 37
11.9.4. Ionospheric Projection of Active and Passive Plasma Regions 38
11.9.5. Boundary Current Sheets 39
11.10. Cellular Structure of Space 40
11.11. Fine Structure of Active Plasma Regions 40
CHAPTER III I CIRCUITS 42
111.1. Importance of Electric Current Models 42
111.1.1. Particle Description 42
111.1.2. Different Types of Electric Currents 43
I1I.I.3. Transfer of Energy Between a Circuit and a Moving Plasma 44
111.2. The Auroral Circuits 48
111.3. Rotating Magnetized Body Surrounded by a Plasma 51
111.4. The Heliospheric Current System 53
I1I.4.1. The 'Sector Structure' and the Equatorial Current Layer 53
111.4.2. Construction of the Heliospheric Current Model 54
111.4.3. Properties of the Heliospheric Circuit 56
111.4.4. Extrapolation to Galactic Dimensions: Double Radio Sources 56
111.5. Grcuits of Magnetospheric Tail, Comets, and Venus 59
111.5.1. Tail Circuit and Magnetic Substorrns 59
111.5.2. Current System in Comets 60
111.5.3. Current System in the Magnetosphere of Venus 60
I1I.6. Magnetospheric Circuit 62
111.6.1. Zero Order Approximation: One-Particle Problem 62
111.6.2. First Order Approximation: Plasma Flux Small 62
111.6.3. The Three First-Approximation Circuits 65
111.6.4. Phenomena Produced by First Approximation Currents 67
I1I.6.5. Second Order Approximation. Realistic Plasma Flow 68
I1I.6.6. Magnetic Field Changes 68
111.6.7. Front (Shock Front) Circuit 68
III.6.8. Magnetopause Circuit 69
111.6.9. Solar Wind-lAuroral Circuit 69
111.6.10. The Tail Grcuit 70
111.6.11. Third Approximation and Comparison with Observation 70
111.6.12. The Three-Ring Model 71
III.7. Other Magnetospheres 73
III.8. Solar Prominence Circuit and Solar Flares 73
III.9. Solar Wind Acceleration 74
o.
III.1 Transfer of Energy from the Solar Core to the Aurora 77
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
CHAPTER N / THEORY OF COSMIC PLASMAS 78
N.l. Classical Theory and Its Difficulties 78
N.l.l. The Reverse Deflection 79
IV.2. Ionization 79
N.2.l. Ionization by light, by Particle Radiation, and by Electric
Currents 79
N.2.2. Transition Between a Plasma and a Neutral Gas 82
N.3. Cosmic Abundances and Differentiation 82
N.3.l. Cosmic Abundances 82
N.3.2. Observations of Chemical Differentiation 83
N.3.3. Separation Due to Different Ionization Potentials 84
N.3.4. Separation Due to Mass Differences 84
N.3.S. Separation Due to Different Vapor Pressures 84
N.4. Turbulence 84
N.5. Flux Amplification 86
N.5.l. Production of Cosmic Magnetic Fields 86
N.S.2. Self-Exciting Dynamos 87
N.S.3. Theories of Self-Exciting Dynamos 87
N.S.4. A Flux Amplification Mechanism 88
N.5.5. Production of Cosmic Magnetic Fields by the Kink
Instability 89
N.6. Critical Velocity 91
N.6.l. Prediction of the Critical Velocity in the Early Solar System 91
N.6.2. Experimental Discovery 91
N.6.3. Theory 92
N.6.4. The Critical Velocity and Space Research 92
N.7. Dusty Plasma 92
N.7.l. Solid Particles as Part of a Plasma 93
N.7.2. Electromagnetically and Gravitationally Controlled Motion
of Solid Particles 93
IV.8. Formation and Evolution of Interstellar Clouds 93
N.8.l. Three Special Cases 95
N.8.2. Force-Free Magnetic Fields and the Production of Filaments 96
N.8.3. Do Magnetic Fields Aid or Counteract a Compression? 96
N.8.4. Pinch Compression of Dark Interstellar Clouds 97
N.9. Ambiplasma 98
N.9.l. Properties of an Ambiplasma 98
N.9.2. The Annihilation Reactions 98
N.9.3. Radiations from an Ambiplasma 100
N.9.4. Main Ambiplasma Problems 102
N.9.5. Separation of Matter and Antimatter 102
N.9.6. On the Co-Existence of Matter and Antimatter 104
N.10. High Energy Phenomena 104
N.10.l. Sources of Energy and Acceleration Processes 105
N.lO.l.1. Varying Magnetic Fields 105
N.l0.1.2. Acceleration in Double Layers 105
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS
IV .1 0.1 .3. Annihilation 106
IV.10.1.4. Gravitation 106
IV.10.2. Magnetic Pumping 107
IV.lO.3. Regions of Cosmic Ray Acceleration 108
IV.1 0.3.1. Heliospheric and Galactic Cosmic Radiation 108
IV.1O.3.2. Origin of Galactic Cosmic Rays 109
CHAPTER V I ORIGIN OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM 110
V.I. How We Can Reconstruct Earlier Epochs 110
V.2. Sources ofInformation 110
V.3. Impact of Magnetospheric Results 111
V.3.1. Active and Passive Plasma Regions 111
V.3.2. Externally Driven Currents 111
V.4. Electromagnetic Effects Aiding the Formation and Contraction of
Clouds 113
V.5 . Chemical Differentation in the Primeval Cloud 113
V.6. Intrinsically Produced Currents 114
V.7. Band Structure and the Critical Velocity 115
V.8. Solar System in Formation 118
V.8.1. Interstellar Clouds 118
V.8.2 . Formation of Protostars 119
V.8.3. Planet-Satellite Formation 120
V.8.4. Observation of Solar Systems in Formation 121
V.9. Hetegony and the 'Hetegonic Principle' 122
CHAPTER VI I COSMOLOGY 123
VI.1. The State of Cosmology 123
VI.1.l. Historical Survey 123
VI.1.2. The Big Bang Hypothesis 125
VI.1.3. Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Models 126
VI.1.3.l. Cellular Structure of Space 126
VI.1.3.2. Mass Distribution in the Universe 126
Vl.l.3.3. Mass of the Metagalaxy and the Schwarzschlld
Limit 128
VI. 1.4. The Hubble Expansion 129
V1.1.4.1. The Hubble Parameter 129
VI.1.4.2. Euclidean Model of the Evolution of the Metagalaxy 131
V1.2. Coexistence of Matter and Antimatter 131
VI.2.1. Matter-Antimatter Symmetry 131
VI.2.2. Matter and Antimatter Cells 132
VI.2.3. Size of Cells: Galactic or Smaller? 133
VI.2.4. Structure of a Symmetric Galaxy 134
VI.2.4.1. Solar System 134
VI.2.4.2. Cometary Reservoir 135
VI.2.5. Objections to the Existence of Antimatter 136
V1.3. Annihilation as a Source of Energy 137
TABLE OF CONTENTS ix
VI.3.1. Argument for the Existence of Antimatter 137
VI.3.2. Similarity of Electromagnetic Radiation from the Two
Kinds of Matter 138
VI.3.3. Radiation from Annihilation Processes 138
VI.3.4. l.eidenfrost Layers and Annihilation at the Cell Walls 138
VI.3.5. Annihilation in Cosmic Clouds 139
VI.3.6. Bodies Falling into a Star of Opposite Kind of Matter 139
VI.3.7. Model of an Ambistar 141
VI.3.7.1. Ambistar Modell 141
VI.3.7.2. Stellar Collisions 143
VI.3.7 .3. Ambistar Model II 143
VI.3.7.4. Observable Properties of an Ambistar 144
VI.3.7.5. Blueshifts 144
VI.3.7.6. QSO Scenario 144
VI.3.7.7. Continuous X-Ray Background Radiation 146
VI.4. Hubble Expansion in a Euclidean Space 146
VI.4.1. Non-Cosmological Redshifts of Some QSOs 146
VI.4.2. Consequences of Non-Cosmological Interpretation of QSO
Redshifts 147
VI.5. A Model for the Evolution of the Metagalaxy 148
VI.5.1. The Proto-Metagalaxy 148
VI.5.2. The Kinetic Energy of the Hubble Expansion 149
VI.5.3. Formation of the Proto-Metagalaxy 149
VI.5.4. Other Cosmological Problems 150
VI.6. Other Metagalaxies 151
VI.7. Discussion 151
V1.8. Conclusions 152
REFERENCES 153
INDEX 160
PREFACE
The general background of this monograph and the aim of it is described in detail in
Chapter I. As stated in 1.7 it is written according to the principle that "when rigour
appears to conflict with simplicity, simplicity is given preference", which means that
it is intended for a rather broad public. Not only graduate students but also advanced
undergraduates should be able to understand at least most of it.
This monograph is the result of many years of inspiring discussions with a number of
colleagues, for which I want to thank them very much. Especially I should mention
the groups in Stockholm and La Jolla: in Stockholm, Dr Carl-Gunne Flilthammar and
many of his collaborators, including Drs Lars Block, Per Carlqvist, Lennart lindberg,
Michael Raadu, Staffan Torven, Miroslav Babic, and Itlgvar Axniis, and further, Drs Bo
Lehnert and Bjorn Bonnevier, all at the Royal Institute of Technology. Of other col
leagues in Sweden, I should mention Dr Bertel Laurent, Stockholm University, Dr Aina
Elvius, The Stockholm Observatory, and Dr Bengt Hultqvist, Kiruna.
In La Jolla my thanks go first of all to Dr Gustaf Arrhenius, who once invited me to
La Jolla, which was the start of a most interesting collaboration; further, to Dr W. B.
Thompson, who has offered a challenging and inspiring criticism, and to Dr Asoka Mendis,
with whom I have had almost daily discussions for a number of years. I have had a
rewarding collaboration with members of Dr Carl Mcllwain's group, especially with Dr
Elden Whipple, and Dr Walker Fillius; and further, with Drs Margaret Burbidge, H. E.
Smith, and A. Marsher.
Of colleagues outside La Jolla, I am indebted to the space research group at Rice
University under Alex Dessler, the group directed by Dr T. Krimigis at Johns Hopkins
University, Dr Syun-Ichi Akasofu at the University of Alaska, Dr G. de Vaucouleurs
and Dr Walter Heikkila at the University of Texas, and Dr H. Arp at the California Insti
tute of Technology.
I am grateful to Mrs Jane Chamberlin, and Messrs Max Marconi and Dave Cordova
for helping me with the manuscript and to Mr Johan Bonde and Mrs Margareta Malmort
for the fmal editing. Mrs Eva Florman, Kaj Forsberg, Carine Hamrin, Siri lillieskold and
Kerstin Vikbladh have given me much appreciated assistance.
The work has been supported in the United States by a number of grants from NASA
and NSF and in Sweden by Naturvetenskapliga Forskningsr~det. Professor Carl-Gunne
Flilthammar has kindly placed the resources of his institute at my disposal.
xi