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Mushtaq, A

Publications and source records attributed to Mushtaq, A.

Magnetohydrodynamic spin waves in degenerate electron-positron-ion plasmas

Low frequency magnetosonic waves are studied in magnetized degenerate electron-positron-ion plasmas with spin effects. Using the fluid equations of magnetoplasma with quantum corrections due to the Bohm potential, temperature degeneracy, and spin magnetization energy, a generalized dispersion relation for oblique magnetosonic waves is derived. Spin effects are incorporated via spin force and macroscopic spin magnetization current. For three different values of angle {theta}, the generalized dispersion relation is reduced to three different relations under the low frequency magnetohydrodynamic assumptions. It is found that the effect of quantum corrections in the presence of positron concentration significantly modifies the dispersive properties of these modes. The importance of the work relevant to compact astrophysical bodies is pointed out.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Alfven solitons in a Fermionic quantum plasma

The propagation of Alfven envelope solitons through a Fermionic quantum plasma is considered. Starting from the governing equations for Hall magnetohydrodynamics including quantum corrections, coupled Zakharov-type equations are derived for circularly polarized Alfven waves. The equations are numerically solved for time-independent and time-dependent cases. The time-independent case shows that variations in density take the form of dressed density solitons in which an approximately Gaussian peak is surrounded by smaller sinusoidal variations in the density envelope. The mathematical basis for this behavior is explained. A limited time-dependent case is obtained which uses the numerical time-independent soliton solutions as the initial conditions. This confirms that the soliton solutions retain the same profile as they propagate. The relevance of this work to dense astrophysical plasmas like the interiors of white dwarf stars is discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Classical relativistic model for spin dependence in a magnetized electron gas

The response of a cold electron gas is generalized to include the spin of the electron described by the relativistically correct quasiclassical Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi (BMT) equation. The magnetization of the electron gas is assumed to be along the background magnetic field B and the spin-dependent contribution to the response tensor is proportional to the magnitude of the magnetization. The dispersion equation is shown to be quadratic in the refractive index squared, and dispersion curves for the two wave modes are plotted for cases where the magnetic field associated with magnetization is comparable with B. Two intrinsically spin-dependent wave modes are identified: one bounded by two resonances and the other by two cutoffs. The counterpart of the z mode can escape without encountering a resonance or a cutoff.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Linear and nonlinear coupled drift and ion acoustic waves in collisional pair ion-electron magnetoplasma

Linear and nonlinear coupled electrostatic drift and ion acoustic waves are studied in inhomogeneous, collisional pair ion-electron plasma. The Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers (KdVB) equation for a medium where both dispersion and dissipation are present is derived. An attempt is made to obtain exact solution of KdVB equation by using modified tanh-coth method for arbitrary velocity of nonlinear drift wave. Another exact solution for KdVB is obtained, which gives a structure of shock wave. Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) and Burgers equations are derived in limiting cases with solitary and monotonic shock solutions, respectively. Effects of species density, magnetic field, obliqueness, and the acoustic to drift velocity ratio on the solitary and shock solutions are investigated. The results discussed are useful in understanding of low frequency electrostatic waves at laboratory pair ion plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Plasma dispersion function for a Fermi-Dirac distribution

A plasma dispersion function (PDF) is defined for a nonrelativistic Fermi-Dirac distribution and its properties are explored. The degree of degeneracy is described by a parameter {xi}=e{sup {mu}}{sub e}{sup /T}{sub e}, for electrons, with {mu}{sub e}/T{sub e} large and negative in the nondegenerate limit, and large and positive in the completely degenerate limit. The PDF is denoted Z(y,{xi}), where the variable y={omega}/{radical}(2)kV{sub e}, is the argument of the conventional PDF, Z(y)=Z(y,0), for a Maxwellian distribution. In the completely degenerate limit, Z(y,{xi}) approaches a logarithmic function that depends on the Fermi temperature and is independent of T{sub e}. Analytic approximations to Z(y,{xi}) are derived in terms of polylogarithmic functions for y{sup 2}>>1 and for y{sup 2}<<1.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗