Particle accelerations and current structures of Weibel and Filamentation instabilities

Abstract:

Particle accelerations of the Wibel instability (WI) and the Filamentation instability(FI) are studied by using PIC simuations, comparing them side-by-side. Although two instabilities are almost identical in the linear growth phase, significant differences are found in the nonlinear phase in their particle accelerations and current structures. The FI shows enhanced electron acceleration, whereas particle acceleration is almost absent in the WI. The different particle accelerations between the FI and the WI seem to be associated with their different current structures; a hollow electron current structure for the FI and a center filled current structure for that of the WI. Different electron distributions seem to bring in different current filament structures, eventually leading to different magnetic characteristics.