M2 ASEP Space Plasma Physics Tutorial
Application of the Vlasov kinetic theory
The Harris current sheet
Earth magnetotail can be mod-
elized, at a great distance to
Earth (over 20 RE ), by a plasma
sheet of thickness about 2 RE .
A current oriented along the y 0 y
axis is flowing from the dawn
side to the dusk side (see figure).
It generates a 1D magnetic field
B~ = B(z) ~ex oriented earthwards
in the north lobe and tailwards in
the south lobe.
The aim of this problem is to find a profile B(z) of this magnetic field compatible with the kinetic equilibrium
of the plasma sheet. E. Harris (Nuovo Cimento, 1962) proposed an exact solution of this issue and the present
problem is mainly inspired from his original paper.
Harris sheet is commonly used in space physics to model 1D equilibrium (or even 2D) of current sheets.
Let’s consider a planar plasma sheet with two kinds of
particles : ions (mi , Ti ) and electrons (me , Te ). To sim-
plify the temperatures for both particles are assumed
identical Ti = Te = T (but it’s not compulsory).
We assume that the magnetic field vanishes in the z = 0
plane and it changes orientation across this plane (see
figure). Given that geometry, the vector potential A ~
~
writes A = A(z) ~ey with B(z) = dA/dz. An electro-
static potential Φ(z) is supposed to exist a priori in the
structure.
We are looking for a stationary state of the plasma AND the magnetic field, each population being described
by a distribution function fi,e .
1. Write the equations satisfied by fi and fe , A(z) et Φ(z).
2. We know that solutions of Vlasov equation depend on the invariants of the motion only.
(a) Write the lagrangian L of a charged particle in a magnetic field.
(b) Show from Lagrange’s equations that if L does not depend on a particular coordinate qi then the
conjugate momentum pi is a invariant of the motion.
(c) Use the above propriety to identify two invariants. A third one is the kinetic energy of the particle.
This is due to the fact that L does not depend explicitly on time.
3. Show that the three invariants may be recast in the following form
α1 = vx (1)
q
α2 = vy + A (2)
m
2q q2 2q
α32 = vz2 − Avy − 2 A2 + Φ (3)
m m m
where q and m are charge and mass of the particles (whatever their species).
M2 ASEP Space Plasma Physics Tutorial
4. Any function f (α1 , α2 , α3 ) is solution of Vlasov equation, so the solution is not unique.
We may then choose one where calculations are tractable.
As potentials are defined with a floating additive constant, we can always choose A(z = 0) = 0 and
Φ(z = 0) = 0. In order to produce a current, particles must drift along the y axis with a macroscopic
constant speed Vi or Ve . Thus, particle distributions functions are chosen as
m 3/2 h m i
i i
fi (α1 , α2 , α3 ) = n0 exp − (α12 + (α2 − Vi )2 + α32 ) (4)
2π kT 2kT
m 3/2 h m i
e e
fe (α1 , α2 , α3 ) = n0 exp − (α12 + (α2 − Ve )2 + α32 ) (5)
2π kT 2kT
This choice is motivated by the fact that these distributions are maxwellian in the z = 0 plane.
In the following, we may assume Vi = −Ve = V .
Compute the charge and current densities in terms of A and Φ.
Then show that A and Φ satisfy the following equations
d2 Φ n0 e h e e i
= − exp (AV − Φ) − exp (AV + Φ) (6)
dz 2 ε0 kT kT
d2 A h e e i
= −µ0 n0 eV exp (AV − Φ) + exp (AV + Φ) (7)
dz 2 kT kT
5. Verify that Φ = 0 is a solution of (6).
With a suitable change of variables, show that (7) rewrites
d2 Ψ
+ 2 exp(Ψ) = 0 (8)
dζ 2
6. Verify that Ψ(ζ) = −2 ln cosh ζ is the solution of (8) with boundary conditions Ψ(0) = 0 and (dΨ/dζ)(0) =
0.
Then rebuild the function A(z) and from it the profile of the magnetic field B(z) and the ion density ni (z).
Draw some typical graphs.
