Magnetic field induced by strong transverse plasmons in ultra-relativistic electron-positron plasmas

Y. Liu¹, X. Q. Li² and S. Q. Liu³

¹ School of Sciences, Nantong University, 226019 Nantong, PR China
e-mail: yliu1886@live.cn
² Department of Physics, Nanjing Normal University, 210097 Nanjing, PR China
³ School of Sciences, Nanchang University, 330047 Nanchang, PR China

Received: 31 January 2012
Accepted: 4 July 2012

Abstract

Context. We investigated the generation of localized magnetic fields in an ultra-relativistic non-isothermal electron-positron plasma by strong electromagnetic plasmons.

Aims. The results obtained can be used to explain the origin of small-scale magnetic fields in the internal shock region of gamma-ray bursts with ultra-relativistic electron positron plasmas.

Methods. The generation of magnetic fields was investigated with kinetic Vlasov Maxwell equations.

Results. The self-generated magnetic field will collapse for modulation instability, leading to spatially highly intermittent magnetic fluxes, whose characteristic scale is much larger than relativistic plasma skin depth, which in turn is conducive to the generation of the long-life small-scale magnetic fields in the internal shock region of gamma-ray bursts.