Diffusion and Radiation in Magnetized Collisionless Plasmas with High-Frequency Small-Scale Turbulence

Magnetized high-energy-density plasmas can often have strong electromagnetic fluctuations whose correlation scale is smaller than the electron Larmor radius. Radiation from the electrons in such plasmas, which markedly differs from both synchrotron and cyclotron radiation, and their energy and pitch-angle diffusion are tightly related. In this paper, we present a comprehensive theoretical and numerical study of the particles' transport in both cold, "small-scale" Langmuir and Whistler-mode turbulence and its relation to the spectra of radiation simultaneously produced by these particles. We emphasize that this relation is a superb diagnostic tool of laboratory, astrophysical, interplanetary, and solar plasmas with a mean magnetic field and strong small-scale turbulence.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figure

The shape evolution of cometary nuclei via anisotropic mass loss

Context. Breathtaking imagery recorded during the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission confirmed the bilobate nature of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko's nucleus. Its peculiar appearance is not unique among comets. The majority of cometary cores imaged at high resolution exhibit a similar build. Various theories have been brought forward as to how cometary nuclei attain such peculiar shapes. Aims. We illustrate that anisotropic mass loss and local collapse of subsurface structures caused by non-uniform exposure of the nucleus to solar irradiation can transform initially spherical comet cores into bilobed ones. Methods. A mathematical framework to describe the changes in morphology resulting from non-uniform insolation during a nucleus' spin-orbit evolution is derived. The resulting partial differential equations that govern the change in the shape of a nucleus subject to mass loss and consequent collapse of depleted subsurface structures are solved analytically for simple insolation configurations and numerically for more realistic scenarios. Results. The here proposed mechanism is capable of explaining why a large fraction of periodic comets appear to have peanut-shaped cores and why light-curve amplitudes of comet nuclei are on average larger than those of typical main belt asteroids of the same size.Comment: 4 pages of the main text, 2 pages of appendix, 4 figure

Radiation From Particles Moving in Small-Scale Magnetic Fields Created in Solid-Density Laser-Plasma Laboratory Experiments

Plasmas created by high-intensity lasers are often subject to the formation of kinetic-streaming instabilities, such as the Weibel instability, which lead to the spontaneous generation of high-amplitude, tangled magnetic fields. These fields typically exist on small spatial scales, i.e. "sub-Larmor scales". Radiation from charged particles moving through small-scale electromagnetic (EM) turbulence has spectral characteristics distinct from both synchrotron and cyclotron radiation, and it carries valuable information on the statistical properties of the EM field structure and evolution. Consequently, this radiation from laser-produced plasmas may offer insight into the underlying electromagnetic turbulence. Here we investigate the prospects for, and demonstrate the feasibility of, such direct radiative diagnostics for mildly relativistic, solid-density laser plasmas produced in lab experiments.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures, (This version corrects numerous issues.

Vitamins and plant saponina in production of functional margarines and spreads possessing antioxidant properties

The composition of margarine products and spreads with the increased emulsion stability and prolonged expiration date is developed in the factory laboratory. A distinctive feature is the use of plant saponins as emulsifiers and ascorbic acid as an antioxidant water-soluble component. The use of these additional ingredients makes margarines and spreads the products of functional food. It is established that the use of saponins and vitamins with antioxidant properties increases the expiration date of the product. It was shown that the licorice saponins and ascorbic acid inhibit hydrolysis and lipid peroxidation (the speed of growth of acid number and concentration of malondialdehyde)

(Quasi-)collisional Magneto-optic Effects in Collisionless Plasmas with sub-Larmor-scale Electromagnetic Fluctuations

High-amplitude, chaotic/turbulent electromagnetic fluctuations are ubiquitous in high-energy-density laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, where they can be excited by various kinetic-streaming and/or anisotropy-driven instabilities, such as the Weibel instability. These fields typically exist on "sub-Larmor scales" -- scales smaller than the electron Larmor radius. Electrons moving through such magnetic fields undergo small-angle stochastic deflections of their pitch-angles, thus establishing diffusive transport on long time-scales. We show that this behavior, under certain conditions, is equivalent to Coulomb collisions in collisional plasmas. The magnetic pitch-angle diffusion coefficient, which acts as an effective "collision" frequency, may be substantial in these, otherwise, collisionless environments. We show that this effect, colloquially referred to as the plasma "quasicollisionality", may radically alter the expected radiative transport properties of candidate plasmas. We argue that the modified magneto-optic effects in these plasmas provide an attractive, novel radiative diagnostic tool for the exploration and characterization of small-scale magnetic turbulence, as well as affect inertial confinement fusion and other laser-plasma experiments.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure