The Transport of Energetic

Charged Particles in
Anisotropic Magnetic
Turbulence
Min h - T h i Ng uye n , Pr in ce to n U n iv e r s ity C las s o f 2 0 2 1
U n d e r g r ad uate Sum m e r R e s e ar ch Pr o g r am
Aug us t 2 0 1 7
Motivation
vTurbulent magnetic fields are ubiquitous in
astrophysics
vThe motion of charged particles in a turbulent
magnetic field can be very complicated
vMicrophysics of particle transport and interactions
vGalactic cosmic ray modulation
vTransport in the heliosphere

vObjective: Study particle transport in synthesize,

anisotropic turbulence and compare the results with
standard isotropic turbulence model
Magnetic Fields and Turbulence
vTurbulent plasma causes magnetic field
fluctuations
vMagnetic Field Model
vLarge scale mean field Bo and fluctuating
component 𝜹B

vTurbulence is characterized mainly by chaotic

motions
vAnisotropic Turbulence in ISM and solar wind

Figure 1: density visualization of magnetic field

B with turbulence created from plasma
Charged Particle Transport and
Diffusion
vTransport is governed by interactions
with the magnetic field and Lorentz force
vParticles gyrate and are scattered by
fluctuations comparable to the gyroradius
vDiffusion
vScattering seen in cases e,f,g,h
Particle Trajectories - Scattering
Isotropic vs
Anisotropic Turbulence
vIsotropy: Directional independence
vUniform in space
vAnisotropy: Directional
dependence
vEddies elongated along magnetic
field
vMost of turbulent power goes to
perpendicular waves in small scales
vAnisotropic Turbulence in ISM
and Solar winds
vHypothesis: Difference in particle’s
diffusion between isotropic and
anisotropic turbulence models
 Model
vGeneration of Magnetic Field Figure 3: Power spectrum of
random magnetic fluctuations in
vMean Field isotropic and anisotropic
vMean Field Fluctuations turbulence models
v Isotropic
v Anisotropic

vPower Spectrum
vIsotropic
vAnisotropic
v Large scale
v Small scale

vTrajectory integration method

and parameters
Determining Diffusion Coefficients
vTime dependent Diffusion Coefficients:
vMean magnetic field on x: 𝐵# 𝑥%
(,1)3
v𝑘∥ = lim,-→/
4,-
(,6)3 (,7)3
v𝑘5 = lim = lim
,-→/ 4,- ,-→/ 4,-
Results
Compound Diffusion in
Anisotropic Turbulence
vLong term evolution
vResult of diffusion or particles
along the magnetic field line
AND diffusion of the diffusion
of the meandering field lines
vSubdiffusion

vCompound Diffusion: (Δ𝑥)2

∝ 𝑡 1/2
vFind evidence for compound
diffusion in Anisotropic
Turbulence for particles with
𝑅
very small energies ( 𝐿 =
𝐿𝑐
10−9/2 to 10−11/2 )
Conclusion and Future/Current
Work
vDifference on diffusion between an isotropic and anisotropic turbulence
vSynthetic anisotropic turbulence model

vEvidence for compound diffusion in Anisotropic Runs

vUse results to apply to cosmic ray behavior in galactic magnetic field
vAnswer new questions
vOverall dynamics of galaxies
vISM
vResonance age
vCompound diffusion
Questions?
Thank you!