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The inadequacy of a magnetohydrodynamic approach to the Biermann battery: Kinetic effects on the Biermann battery

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  • C. P. Ridgers
  • C. Arran
  • J. J. Bissell
  • R. J. Kingham
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Article number20200017
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>25/01/2021
<mark>Journal</mark>Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Issue number2189
Volume379
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date7/12/20
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Magnetic fields can be generated in plasmas by the Biermann battery when the electric field produced by the electron pressure gradient has a curl. The commonly employed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of the Biermann battery breaks down when the electron distribution function is distorted away from Maxwellian. Using both MHD and kinetic simulations of a laser-plasma interaction relevant to inertial confinement fusion we have shown that this distortion can reduce the Biermann-producing electric field by around 50%. More importantly, the use of a flux limiter in an MHD treatment to deal with the effect of the non-Maxwellian electron distribution on electron thermal transport leads to a completely unphysical prediction of the Biermann-producing electric field and so results in erroneous predictions for the generated magnetic field. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.

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