53358258
LARGE-SCALE MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATION VIA THE KINETIC KELVIN-HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY IN UNMAGNETIZED SCENARIOS
Collisionless plasma instabilities are fundamental in magnetic field generation in astrophysical scenarios, but their role has been addressed in scenarios where velocity shear is absent. In this work we show that velocity shears must be considered when studying realistic astrophysical scenarios, since these trigger the collisionless Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). We present the first self-consistent three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of the KHI in conditions relevant for unmagnetized relativistic outflows with velocity shear, such as active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. We show the generation of a strong large-scale DC magnetic field, which extends over the entire shear-surface, reaching thicknesses of a few tens of electron skin depths, and persisting on timescales much longer than the electron timescale. This DC magnetic field is not captured by magnetohydrodynamic models since it arises from intrinsically kinetic effects. Our results indicate that the KHI can generate intense magnetic fields yielding equipartition values up to B / p 10–3-10–2 in the electron timescale. The KHI-induced magnetic fields have a characteristic structure that will lead to a distinct radiation signature and can seed the turbulent dynamo amplification process. The dynamics of the KHI are relevant for non-thermal radiation modeling and can also have a strong impact on the formation of relativistic shocks in presence of velocity shears.
12875278
Near-GeV-energy laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a centimeter-scale plasma channel.
The first three-dimensional, particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a 0.84 cm long plasma channel are reported. The frequency evolution of the initially 50 fs (FWHM) long laser pulse by photon interaction with the wake followed by plasma dispersion enhances the wake which eventually leads to self-injection of electrons from the channel wall. This first bunch of electrons remains spatially highly localized. Its phase space rotation due to slippage with respect to the wake leads to a monoenergetic bunch of electrons with a central energy of 0.26 GeV after 0.55 cm propagation. At later times, spatial bunching of the laser enhances the acceleration of a second bunch of electrons to energies up to 0.84 GeV before the laser pulse intensity is significantly reduced.
121799036
Modeling of laser wakefield acceleration in the Lorentz boosted frame using OSIRIS and UPIC framework
We examine numerical issues related to modeling laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) in a Lorentz boosted frame. We present some theoretical results on a numerical instability that results from a relativistic plasma drift on a grid. We compare these predictions with results obtained from a finite difference time domain (FDTD) code OSIRIS and a spectral (FFT) time domain code UPIC. Consistent with the theoretical predictions, it is found that the spectral solver has advantages for mitigating the numerical instability when compared against some prevailing (FDTD) solvers. We also compared using finite difference or spectral field solvers in simplified 2D LWFA simulations using a plane wave for the laser. We find that the use of the spectral solver has advantages for mitigating the numerical instability induced by the relativistically drifting plasma.
118588748
Electron-scale shear instabilities: magnetic field generation and particle acceleration in astrophysical jets
Strong shear flow regions found in astrophysical jets are shown to be important dissipation regions, where the shear flow kinetic energy flow is converted into electric and magnetic field energy via shear instabilities. The emergence of these self-consistent fields makes shear flows significant sites for radiation emission and particle acceleration. We focus on electron-scale instabilities, namely the collisionless, unmagnetized electron-scale Kelvin?Helmholtz instability (ESKHI) and a large-scale DC magnetic field generation mechanism on the electron scales. We show that these processes are important candidates to generate magnetic fields in the presence of strong velocity shears, which may naturally originate in energetic matter outbursts of active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursters. We show that the ESKHI is robust to density jumps between shearing flows, thus operating in various scenarios with different density contrasts. Multidimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of the ESKHI, performed with OSIRIS, reveal the emergence of a strong and large-scale DC magnetic field component, which is not captured by the standard linear fluid theory. This DC component arises from kinetic effects associated with the thermal expansion of electrons of one flow into the other across the shear layer, whilst ions remain unperturbed due to their inertia. The electron expansion forms DC current sheets, which induce a DC magnetic field. Our results indicate that most of the electromagnetic energy developed in the ESKHI is stored in the DC component, reaching values of equipartition on the order of 10?3 in the electron time-scale, and persists longer than the proton time-scale. Particle scattering/acceleration in the self-generated fields of these shear flow instabilities is also analyzed.
2877366
Very high Mach-number electrostatic shocks in collisionless plasmas.
The kinetic theory of collisionless electrostatic shocks resulting from the collision of plasma slabs with different temperatures and densities is presented. The theoretical results are confirmed by self-consistent particle-in-cell simulations, revealing the formation and stable propagation of electrostatic shocks with very high Mach numbers (M>>10), well above the predictions of the classical theories for electrostatic shocks.
1541538
Weibel-instability-mediated collisionless shocks in the laboratory with ultraintense lasers.
The formation of nonrelativistic collisionless shocks in the laboratory with ultrahigh intensity lasers is studied via ab initio multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The microphysics behind shock formation and dissipation and the detailed shock structure are analyzed, illustrating that the Weibel instability plays a crucial role in the generation of strong subequipartition magnetic fields that isotropize the incoming flow and lead to the formation of a collisionless shock, similar to what occurs in astrophysical scenarios. The possibility of generating such collisionless shocks in the laboratory opens the way to the direct study of the physics associated with astrophysical shocks.
118530599
Running soft parameters in SUSY models with multiple U(1) gauge factors
Abstract We generalize the two-loop renormalization group equations for the parameters of the softly broken SUSY gauge theories given in the literature to the most general case when the gauge group contains more than a single Abelian gauge factor. The complete method is illustrated at two-loop within a specific example and compared to some of the previously proposed partial treatments.
119235558
Renormalization group equations and matching in a general quantum field theory with kinetic mixing
Abstract We work out a set of simple rules for adopting the two-loop renormalization group equations of a generic gauge field theory given in the seminal works of Machacek and Vaughn to the most general case with an arbitrary number of Abelian gauge factors and comment on the extra subtleties possibly encountered upon matching a set of effective gauge theories in such a framework.
199681250
Running soft parameters in SUSY models with multiple U(1) gauge factors
The two-loop renormalization group equations for the parameters of softly broken supersymmetric gauge theories given in the literature are generalized to the case when the gauge group contains more than a single abelian factor. This contribution to the proceedings of the DISCRETE 2012 symposium is based on reference [1].
118081166
Renormalization in supersymmetric models
There are reasons to believe that the Standard Model is only an effective theory, with new Physics lying beyond it. Supersymmetric extensions are one possibility: they address some of the Standard Model's shortcomings, such as the instability of the Higgs boson mass under radiative corrections. In this thesis, some topics related to the renormalization of supersymmetric models are analyzed. One of them is the automatic computation of the Lagrangian and the renormalization group equations of these models, which is a hard and error-prone process if carried out by hand. The generic renormalization group equations themselves are extended so as to include those models which have more than a single abelian gauge factor group. Such situations can occur in grand unified theories, for example. For a wide range of SO(10)-inspired supersymmetric models, we also show that the renormalization group imprints on sparticle masses some information on the higher energies behavior of the models. Finally, in some cases these theories introduce charged lepton flavor violating interactions, which can change the ratio $\Gamma\left(K\rightarrow e\nu\right)/\Gamma\left(K\rightarrow\mu\nu\right)$. In light of experimental bounds on other observables, our analysis shows that any change over the Standard Model prediction must be smaller than the current experimental sensitivity on this observable.