On the generalized formulation of Debye

shielding in plasmas
Cite as: Phys. Plasmas 26, 050701 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5091949
Submitted: 07 February 2019 • Accepted: 10 April 2019 • Published Online: 01 May 2019

G. Livadiotis

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Phys. Plasmas 26, 050701 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5091949 26, 050701

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 Physics of Plasmas LETTER scitation.org/journal/php

On the generalized formulation of Debye shielding

in plasmas
Cite as: Phys. Plasmas 26, 050701 (2019); doi: 10.1063/1.5091949
Submitted: 7 February 2019 . Accepted: 10 April 2019 .
Published Online: 1 May 2019

G. Livadiotisa)

AFFILIATIONS
Space Science & Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA

a)
glivadiotis@swri.edu

ABSTRACT
It is shown that the Debye length formulation, for plasmas described by kappa distributions, depends on the polytropic index, rather than the
parameter that labels and governs these distributions, the kappa index—in contrast to what it was previously derived. As a consequence, the
ratio of the Debye length over the plasma oscillation period gives exactly the sound speed, instead of being proportional to the thermal speed;
this ratio is generalized to the fast magnetosonic speed when the magnetic Debye length is considered, leading also to the development of the
vector Debye length. Finally, as an application, we derive the Debye length values for the solar wind plasma near 1 AU, exhibiting clear
distinction between slow and fast wind modes, while we provide insights into the connection between plasma and polytropic processes.
C 2019 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://
V
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5091949

The interest in the generalized Debye length formulation is triggered in which the system resides; it is noted by j0, as of zero dimensionality
by numerous applications of kappa distributions in plasmas,1–3 their nat- kappa. Equation (1) is derived using a 3D kappa distribution; in this
ural connection with thermodynamics,4 and the fundamental importance case, we have j ¼ jð3Þ ¼ j0 þ 32, and hence, the factor can be written
of the Debye length in basic plasma physics.5–8 There are four papers in an invariant form as
exclusively devoted to developing the Debye length modified5–8 formula j0
for plasmas described by kappa distributions.1–3 Following similar or dif- fj ¼ : (3)
j0 þ 1
ferent approaches, they arrive at the same analytical result, that is,
Next, we derive the formula of the Debye length and its kappa
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 3
e0 kB Te;i j dependent factor in a more accurate way, which involves the formula-
kD ¼  fj ; with fj  2; (1) tion of phase-space kappa distributions of Hamiltonians with nonzero
e2 n1 1
j potential degrees of freedom.1,11–13
2 Density and Temperature positional profiles in plasmas
where the temperature Te;i refers to the summation of the electron and described by kappa distributions—The distribution of the
1
ion inverse temperature (also called reduced temperature), Te;i Hamiltonian, Hð~ u Þ ¼ eK ð~
r ;~ u Þ þ Uð~
rÞ, where eK ð~u Þ ¼ 12 m  u2 and
1 1
¼ Ti þ Te ; n1 indicates the density at infinity, that is, at a position Uð~r Þ denote the kinetic and potential energies, respectively, is given by
where the potential is practically zero. The factor fj modifies the case of  j1
Maxwell–Boltzmann distributions for which fj ¼ 1; it depends on the 1 Hð~ u Þ  hHi
r;~
Pð~ u ;j;T Þ / 1 þ 
r;~ ; (4a)
kappa index j, the parameter that labels and governs the kappa j kB T
distribution.
It has been shown1,9,10 that the kappa index depends on the cor- or, equivalently,
related degrees of freedom d so that  j 11d
1 eK ð~ rÞ 0 2
u Þ þ Uð~
Pð~ u ; j0 ; T Þ /
r;~ 1þ  ; (4b)
1 j0 kB T
jðdÞ ¼ j0 þ d; (2)
2 where the degrees of freedom d sum both the kinetic and potential
where the difference jðdÞ  12 d is a quantity independent of d; it has degrees of freedom, which are expressed through the ensemble
the meaning of the actual kappa index, indicating the stationary state averages

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1 hHi 1 1 j0
d ¼ dK þ dU ; (5a) T1 ¼ T  (10a)
2 kB T 2 2 1
j0 þ dU
2
with
or using Eq. (9)
1 heK i 1 hUi
dK ¼ ; dU  : (5b) ð þ 1ÞT1 þ j0 T ¼ 0: (10b)
2 kB T 2 kB T
Derivation of the Debye length formulation—Next, we follow
(Note: In the case where the potential may be negative, we use the cut-
the typical theoretical analysis1,8,15–18 for deriving the Debye length
off operator,1–3,11 instead of the simple square brackets: [x]þ: f ([x]þ)
formula, where the ion ni and electron ne densities are described by
¼ x if x > 0; f ([x]þ) ¼ 0 if x  0. In this analysis, we avoid this nota- ~ rÞ that dif-
the kappa distributions. We first introduce the potential Uð~
tion for simplicity.)
If we integrate the phase-space distribution (4b) over the velocity fers from the potential energy Uð~ rÞ: A charge qe needs potential
energy equal to Uð~ ~ rÞ to be brought from infinity where
rÞ  qe  Uð~
space, we derive the positional kappa distribution Pð~ r; j0 ; T Þ. The
density profile nð~ rÞ is proportional to the positional probability distri- potential is zero to the position~
r; then
bution, nð~ rÞ ¼ n1  Pð~ r ; j0 ; T Þ, where, again, the normalization " #j0i 112dUi
density n1 refers to a distant position for which the potential is practi- ~ rÞ
eUð~
ni ð~
r Þ ¼ n1  1 þ ;
cally zero j0i kB Ti
" #j0e 112dUe (11)
ð þ1  j 11d
~ rÞ
1 eK ð~u Þ þ Uð~rÞ 0 2 eUð~
r; j0 ; T Þ /
Pð~ 1þ  d~
u ne ð~
rÞ ¼ n1  1  ;
1 j0 kB T j0e kB Te
 j 11d
1 Uð~ rÞ 0 2 U we find the charge density
/ 1þ  ; (6a)
j0 k B T 0 1
1 1
or @ j 0i þ 1 þ dUi 1 j 0e þ 1 þ dUe 1 A n 1 e2 ~
qe ¼  2  þ 2   Uð~
rÞ:
 j 11d j0i Ti j0e Te kB
1 Uð~ rÞ 0 2 U
rÞ ¼ n1  1 þ 
nð~ : (6b) (12a)
j0 k B T
Using Eq. (10a) that connects the temperatures T and T1 and Eq. (9)
On the other hand, the temperature profile Tð~ r Þ is derived by that connects j0 and  indices, we obtain
finding the second statistical moment of the phase-space distribution, 0 1
that is, by integrating eK ð~
u Þ over the velocity space 1 1
B j 0i þ 1 þ dUi 1 j 0e þ 1 þ dUe 1 C
ð þ1 2 2
1 qe ¼ B@  þ  C
dK kB nð~
rÞTð~r Þ ¼ n1  Pð~ u ; j0 ; T ÞeK ð~
r ;~ u Þ d~
u; (7a) 1 T1i 1 T1e A
2 j0i þ dUi j0e þ dUe
1 2 2
where we find n1 e2 ~
   Uð~
rÞ; (12b)
1 Uð~ rÞ kB
r Þ ¼ T1  1 þ 
Tð~ : (7b)
j0 k B T or
 
The two positional profiles in Eqs. (6b) and (7b) can be connected 1 1 1 1 n1 e2 ~ n 1 e2 ~
together to derive the polytropic relationship, by mutually canceling qe ¼   þ   rÞ ¼ 
Uð~ Uð~
rÞ;
ci T1i ce T1e kB ce;i kB T1e;i
the dependence on the potential energy, ½1 þ Uð~ rÞ=ðj0 kB TÞ, i.e.,
(12c)
    c1
rÞ
nð~ rÞ
Tð~ Tð~rÞ nð~
rÞ where we defined T1e;i and ce;i , according to
¼ or ¼ ; (8)
n1 T1 T1 n1
c1 1 1 1 1 1
e;i T1e;i  ci T1i þ ce T1e ; (12d)
where the polytropic index  (or c  1 þ 1=) is given in terms of the
kappa index by1,12–14 1
T1e;i 1
 T1i 1
þ T1e : (12e)
1 Equation (12e) was set, so that ce;i ¼ c, when ci ¼ ce ¼ c. Hence, if
1 j0 þ dU
2 T1i ¼ T1e ¼ T1 , then c1 1 1
 þ 1 þ j0 þ dU ¼ 0; or c¼
1
: (9) e;i ¼ ðci þ ce Þ=2. The quantity T1e;i is
2 also called reduced temperature; it coincides with the smaller species
1 þ j0 þ dU
2 temperature, if there is a large temperature difference with the rest of
(Note that as the kappa index tends to infinity, the potential degrees of the species, i.e., if T1e  T1i , then T1e;i ffi T1e . Similarly, ce;i can be
freedom become less important, while the polytropic index describes called the reduced weighted polytropic index; it coincides with the
an isothermal process, c ¼ 1, independent of their finite value.) From index of that species that has the significantly smaller temperature: If
Eq. (7b), we find that the globally averaged temperature hTð~ r Þi ¼ T T1e  T1i , then ce;i ffi ce .
is related to the temperature at zero potential T1 Therefore, Gauss’s law gives

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!  2
q n 1 e2 ~ rÞ ¼ 1  Uð~ e0 e0 B2 B
rÞ ¼  e ¼
2~
r Uð~  Uð~ ~ rÞ; (13) k2D ¼ 2  ðckB TÞ ! k2Dm ¼ 2  ¼ ; (17a)
e0 e0 ce;i kB T1e;i k2D ne ne l0 n l0 nec
where we finally obtain the Debye length form where we used the identity e0 l0 c2 ¼ 1, arriving at the magnetic Debye
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi length
e0 kB T1e;i
kD ¼  ce;i : (14) B
e2 n1 kD m ¼ : (17b)
l0 nec
The modifying factor fj of Eq. (1) or Eq. (3) is now generalized to
The magnetic Debye length has the property of measuring the distance
0 11
j0i þ 1 þ 12 dUi 1 j0e þ 1 þ 12 dUe 1 of magnetic field screening,23 similar to the property of measuring the
B  T1i þ  T1e C distance of the electric field screening by the electric Debye length. The
@ j0i þ 12 dUi j0e þ 12 dUe A
fj ¼ 1 1 two screening effects are independent, and the total Debye length can
T1i þ T1e
be defined by
!1
c1 1 1 1
i T1i þ ce T1e k2D ms ¼ k2D m þk2D s : (18)
¼ 1 þ T 1 ¼ ce;i ; (15a)
T1i 1e
In addition, we notice that the electric and magnetic Debye
while in the case where ce;i ¼ c, we obtain lengths are involved in similar relations, leading to the sound and
1 Alfven speeds, respectively,
j0 þ dU
fj ¼ 2 ¼ c: (15b) 1 1 1 1
1 m0 k2D s x2p ¼ mi Vs2  Es ; m0 k2D m x2p ¼ mi VA2  Em (19a)
j0 þ 1 þ dU 2 2 2 2
2
Hence, the factor fj is not kappa dependent but is rather equal to the pol- (where m0 refers to the reduced mass m1 1 1
0 ¼ mi þ me ); the respec-
ytropic index. Note that Eq. (15b) generalizes Eq. (3) by taking into tive relationship for the total Debye length gives the fast magnetosonic
2
account the potential degrees of freedom, which were ignored in the earli- speed, Vms ¼ Vm2 þ Vs2 , i.e.,
est studies.5–8 Finally, we recap the considerations of the above develop- 1 1
ments: (i) weakly interacting plasmas (e.g., space plasmas), and thus, the m0 k2D ms x2p ¼ mi Vms
2
 Ems : (19b)
2 2
multiparticle Hamiltonian terms can be ignored; (ii) potential energy pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
depends only on the position and not the velocity; (iii) potential energy The common proportionality constant s  1 þ mi =me  x1 p
must be small compared to the thermal energy for compressible plasma; among the Debye lengths kD a ¼ s  Va , with subscripts a: s, m (or A),
and (iv) potential energy of electromagnetic interaction is dominant com- ms, as well as the common Euclidean L2-norm in the summation of
pared to other interactions that may exist among protons and electrons. the sonic and magnetic Debye lengths k2D ms ¼ k2D m þk2D s and speeds
2
Related definitions and formulations—The Debye length and Vms ¼ Vm2 þ Vs2 , leads to the concept of the vector Debye length,
plasma oscillation frequency for a species j are given by defined by
rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
e0 n1 e2 ~ ~ a ; a : s; m ðor AÞ; ms; with s  1 þ mi =me  x1
kD a  s  V
kD j ¼  cj kB T1j and x2p j ¼ ; (16a) p :
n1 e 2 e0 mj
(20)
(where mj is the mass of the j species), while the Debye length from
Finally, we note that the key point that allows the above connection
both the ion and the electron is smaller because of the inverse summa-
between Debye lengths and magnetic/sonic velocities is that the factor
tion in Eq. (12d)
fj is interpreted by the polytropic index, instead of some function of
n 1 e2 n1 e2 n1 e2 the kappa index; only then, the ratio of the Debye length over the
k2
D ¼ ¼ þ ¼ k2 2
Di þ kDe : (16b) plasma oscillation period gives the sound speed, instead of just being
e0 ce;i kB T1e;i e0 ci kB T1i e0 ce kB T1e
proportional to the thermal speed, as it was previously thought.
Instead, the sonic Debye length can be defined by summing Application in the solar wind plasma—As an application, in
ci T1i þ ce T1e , i.e., Fig. 1, we depict (a) the sonic, (b) the magnetic, and (c) the total mag-
netosonic Debye lengths and (d) the ratio of the ion Debye length over
k2D s ¼ k2D i þk2D e : (16c) the magnetic Debye length, in the case of the solar wind proton-
(Note: Hereafter, we ignore the subscript notation of “1” for densities electron plasma near 1 AU. The values of the Debye lengths are plotted
and temperatures, for simplicity. Thermodynamic variables are mea- in normalized24 2D histograms with respect to the solar wind flow
sured away from the charge perturbation where both are practically speed Vsw. In particular, we use measurements of
92-s solar wind
stabilized. Hence, T does not mean the average temperature as meant plasma moments (speed Vsw, density n, and temperature T) and the
during the derivations, but the temperature at infinity, practically, far interplanetary magnetic field B, which were taken, respectively, using
from the charge perturbation.) SWE and MAG instruments onboard Wind S/C,12,24–27 during the
Moreover, the magnetic Debye length19–23 kDm is given by year 1995. We observe that the sonic Debye length increases linearly
substituting the thermal energy (for compressible plasmas) with the with the solar wind speed, kD s ffi s  Vsw , with the slope given by the
magnetic energy in the regular electric Debye length time scale s ffi 1 ms (more accurately, 0.975 6 0.015 ms), that is, the

Phys. Plasmas 26, 050701 (2019); doi: 10.1063/1.5091949 26, 050701-3

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FIG. 1. Normalized 2D histograms of the

values of the (a) sonic, (b) magnetic, and
(c) magnetosonic Debye lengths and (d)
ratio of the ion Debye length over the
magnetic Debye length, with respect to
the bulk flow speed for the solar wind
proton-electron plasma near 1 AU.

time needed for the solar wind flow to cover a distance equal to the sonic
Debye length, which is about 25 times the period of the plasma oscilla-
tion tp (for the same dataset, we found hlog ðxp ½rad HzÞi ffi 5:20
60:14 or tp ffi 40 ls). The magnetic Debye length appears to have a
concave relationship with solar wind speed, clearly departing from linear-
ity above
550 km s1, a range corresponding to the fast solar wind system;—e.g., the radial expansion of the solar wind may lead to a
mode. The linearity of the sonic Debye length and concavity of the mag-
netic Debye length are moderate in the magnetosonic Debye length. The
ratio of the ion Debye length over the magnetic Debye length, kD i =kD m ,
has values close to
1 in the slow solar wind (Vsw < 550 km s1), while among thermal and wave energy and other plasma processes that are
clearly >1 in the fast solar wind (Vsw > 550 km s1).
Conclusions and future applications—In summary, it was shown
that the general formulation of the Debye length for plasmas described
by kappa distributions involves the polytropic index, instead of the
kappa index, the parameter characterizing these distributions. The
ratio of the Debye length over the plasma oscillation period gives the
sound speed, instead of the thermal speed that was previously thought.
This ratio is generalized to the fast magnetosonic speed when the mag-
netic Debye length is considered, while the vector Debye length can
also be defined. Finally, as an application, we derive the Debye length
values for the solar wind plasma near 1 AU, exhibiting clear distinction
between slow and fast wind modes.
The importance of the newly developed formulation of the
Debye length is the connection of plasma with polytropic processes
(that is, the thermodynamic processes following a polytropic relation-
ship among the plasma thermal observables). For instance, the obser-
vation of plasma particles flowing under a quasi-isobaric process (with
polytropic index closed to c
0) means the existence of small values 12
of the Debye length and a very effective shielding of charge fluctua-
tions, while the Landau damping would be effective in smaller scales
than usual, allowing the existence of waves of small wavelengths.
When the polytropic index is quite small (smaller than the adiabatic
value, c < 5/3), then the plasma is endothermic, i.e., a heat-absorbing
system. If a process allows for the polytropic index to be continuously
decreasing, then an external heating source has to be connected to the
slow decrease in the polytropic index, which must be connected to tur-
bulent heating sources, more effective for smaller Debye lengths. In
this case, it would certainly be a challenge to find the energy balance
possibly affected by the polytropic index variation.
This research was supported in part by the NASA’s projects
NNX17AB74G and 80NSSC18K0520.
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