Three-dimensional magnetic structures generated by the development of the filamentation (Weibel) instability in the relativistic regime

Francesco Califano (1) , Daniele del Sarto (2, 1) , Francesco Pegoraro (1)

1 Dipartimento di Fisica "E. Fermi"
2 IJL - Institut Jean Lamour

We present three-dimensional, fully relativistic, fluid simulations of the dynamics of inhomogeneous counter streaming beams with the aim of understanding the magnetic structures that can be expected to form as a consequence of the development of the so-called Weibel instability. Ringlike structures in the transverse direction are generated as a consequence of the development of a spatially resonant mode. We describe the structures generated by beams of equal initial density and velocity and by a fast, less dense beam compensated by a slower, denser beam. We consider these two cases as schematic models of a laser produced beam propagating in a plasma with nearly equal density and in a plasma much denser than the injected beam.

Domaines: Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]

Francesco Califano, Daniele del Sarto, Francesco Pegoraro. Three-dimensional magnetic structures generated by the development of the filamentation (Weibel) instability in the relativistic regime. Physical Review Letters, 2006, 96 (10), pp.105008. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.105008⟩. ⟨hal-00524423⟩