
Citation: | Qianglin HU, Wen HU. A classical relativistic hydrodynamical model for strong EM wave-spin plasma interaction[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2022, 24(3): 035001. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/ac3985 |
Based on the covariant Lagrangian function and Euler–Lagrange equation, a set of classical fluid equations for strong EM wave-spin plasma interaction is derived. Analysis shows that the relativistic effects may affect the interaction processes by three factors: the relativistic factor, the time component of four-spin, and the velocity-field coupling. This set of equations can be used to discuss the collective spin effects of relativistic electrons in classical regime, such as astrophysics, high-energy laser-plasma systems and so on. As an example, the spin induced ponderomotive force in the interaction of strong EM wave and magnetized plasma is investigated. Results show that the time component of four-spin, which approaches to zero in nonrelativistic situations, can increase the spin-ponderomotive force obviously in relativistic situation.
In the last two decades, the spin effect in plasma has attracted a lot of attentions because of its potential applications [1–3]. Spin effect is an important property of quantum plasma, and researches have shown that it may exist even on a classic scale, which is longer than the thermal de Broglie wavelength [4]. Researches have also shown that under certain conditions, the spin contributions can be more important than the usual quantum plasma corrections [5]. In the nonlinear situation, the spin force appears to be more importance and cannot be ignored even in moderate-density high-temperature plasma, due to the fact that the electrons with different spin eigenstates can be separated by the spin induced ponderomotive force [6].
Some models have been developed to study the spin plasma. In nonrelativistic regime, a fluid theory is developed from the Pauli Hamiltonian and Madelung decomposition of electron wave function [5, 7]. Based on this fluid theory, some new phenomena, such as new propagation modes [8], magnetosonic solitons [9], instabilities [10], and so on, are revealed. In relativistic regime [11–16], the EM wave-spin plasma interactions have been considered on three levels: classical physics, relativistic quantum mechanics, and quantum field theory. On classical physics level, a classical relativistic model is developed directly from the Bargmann–Michel–Telegdi equation. However, in this model the spin does not affect the electron dynamics [17]. On relativistic quantum mechanics level, using the Foldy–Wouthuysen ransformation of Hamiltonian for positive energy states of electron, a phase-space scalar kinetic model based on the gauge-invariant Stratonovich–Wigner function [18] and a fluid model based on the Madelung decomposition of electron wave function with two spinor [19] are developed for weakly relativistic spin plasma. On quantum field theory level, a set of fully covariant hydrodynamic equations are obtained based on Dirac theory of electrons [20]. However, the covariant model is very complex and is rather difficult to implement in practical situations, especially for numerical applications [19].
In addition to these, there are some other works on spin plasma [21–23]. In the present work, we developed a classical hydrodynamical model for relativistic spin plasma based on the covariant Lagrangian function and Euler–Lagrange equation. The equations of this model are formally consistent with the equations of the model proposed in [20]. However, this model is mathematically much simpler and is easy to implement in practical situations. Admittedly, as a classical model, some quantum plasma corrections, such as quantum statistic effects and quantum diffraction effects, are not included in this model. Therefore, this model can be applied to discuss the spin effects of strong relativistic plasma in classical regime, such as in astrophysics, high-energy laser-plasma systems and so on. Analysis shows that the relativistic effects may affect the physical processes by three factors: the relativistic factor, the time component of four-spin, and the velocity-field coupling.
In the end, this model is used to examine the spin contribution to the ponderomotive force of strong EM wave interacting with magnetized plasma, which has been discussed by some authors [6, 24, 25] in nonrelativistic regime. Results show that the time component of four-spin, which approaches to zero in nonrelativistic situations, can increase the spin-ponderomotive force obviously in relativistic situation.
The Lagrangian function of electron in electromagnetic (EM) field can be written as
=0+F+S, | (1) |
where
To obtain the motion equation from equation (1), we use Lagrange equations
ddτ∂∂˙q-∂∂q=0, | (2) |
where
mduαdτ=ecFαβuβ+∂∂xα(ασμFμνσν), | (3) |
and
dσαdτ=αFανσν. | (4) |
Equations (3) and (4) are the motion equations of single electron. Considering
muβ∂βuα=ecFαβuβ+∂∂xα(ασμFμνσν), | (5) |
and
uβ∂βσα=αFανσν, | (6) |
where
Assuming that the electron distribution function is
n(x)=∫fd | (7) |
The statistical average of any physical quantity
(8) |
Therefore, the fluid four-velocity is
Taking the ensemble average of equations (5) and (6), we obtain
(9) |
and
(10) |
Moreover, if the creation of electron pairs can be neglected, the conservation of electron number gives
(11) |
Equations (9)–(11), plus the macroscopic Maxwell equations
(12) |
form a complete and covariant description of relativistic spin plasma.
It is useful to put equations (9)–(11) into the general three-dimensional vector forms. To do this, we use the usual procedure [20] and rewrite the four-velocity of fluid as
(13) |
where
(14) |
where
(15) |
Considering the covariant constraint
Therefore, equation (9) can be written in the vectorial form
(16) |
and
(17) |
where
(18) |
(19) |
(20) |
(21) |
Equations (16) and (17) are the time and special components of equation (9), respectively.
Equation (10) can be written as
(22) |
and
(23) |
where
(24) |
(25) |
(26) |
Equations (22) and (23) are the time and special components of equation (10), respectively.
The continuity equation (11) becomes
(27) |
Equations (16), (17), (22), (23), and (27) form a full set of macroscopic hydrodynamical equations. Comparing with the nonrelativistic limit results, it is easy to know that the relativistic effects mainly affect the interaction processes by three factors: firstly, the relativistic factor
As an example, we will illustrate how the time component of four-spin
(28) |
(29) |
in the cold plasma, where the subscript
In the present work, the derivation of the spin-ponderomotive force is also based on the perturbative analysis [6]. In the following part, we assume a slowly varying plane circularly polarized EM wave
(30) |
where
(31) |
The lowest order of
(32) |
Equation (32) shows that in the lowest order of approximation, the velocity of electron is not influenced by the spin, and from now on, the subscript
(33) |
where
(34) |
Therefore, substituting equation (34) into the correction term of equation (30) gives
(35) |
The spin induced ponderomotive force can be written as [6]
(36) |
Substitution of equations (34) and (35) into equation (36) gives
(37) |
It is easy to verify that in the nonrelativistic limit, equation (37) is the same with the result in [6]. Equation (37) shows that in the relativistic situation, the spin-ponderomotive force increased with the relativistic factor, i.e. increased with the EM wave intensity. Letting
(38) |
The ratio of the spin-ponderomotive force in relativistic and nonrelativistic situation is
(39) |
where
Spin effect is an important property of quantum plasma and several models have been proposed on it. In this work, we developed a classical hydrodynamical model for relativistic spin plasma based on the covariant Lagrangian function of electrons. This model can be used to discuss the spin effects of strong relativistic plasma. Analysis shows that the relativistic effects may affect the interaction processes through three aspects: firstly, the relativistic factor
The present model is different from the previous models [5, 7, 17–20]. (1) The present model can be used for strong relativistic cases. The existing models developed from quantum mechanics are mainly applied to non-relativistic [5, 7] or weakly relativistic [18, 19] cases. (2) The present model is mathematically simple and is easy to implement in practical situations. Though the model developed from quantum field theory [20] is a covariant model and includes as many quantum effects as possible, it is very complex and is rather difficult to implement in practical situations, especially for numerical applications [19]. (3) The present model naturally includes the main spin effects. The model proposed in [17] is also a relativistic model, but some crucial spin effects, such as the spin potential, thermal-spin coupling, and so on, are ignored. However, the equations of the present model are formally consistent with the model proposed in [20]. Admittedly, as a classical model, some quantum effects, such as quantum statistic effects and quantum diffraction effects, are not included in the present model. Therefore, it is applicable for the conditions that the plasma temperature is much higher than the Fermi temperature and the force induced by Bohm potential is much smaller than the spin force. Actually, these conditions are satisfied in numerous cases such as astrophysics, high-energy laser-plasma systems and so on.
The model has been applied to examine the spin contribution to the ponderomotive force of strong EM wave interacting with magnetized plasma in this work. Results show that the time component of the four-spin can increase the spin-ponderomotive force obviously in relativistic situation.
Considering that
(A1) |
where the quantities with prime denote the quantities in the electron rest frame and
(A2) |
(A3) |
Therefore,
(A4) |
where the term including
This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12065011), and Science and Technology Research Project of Jiangxi Provincial Department of Education (No. GJJ170642).
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