
arXiv: astro-ph/0006073
Parallel thermal conduction along stochastic magnetic field lines may be reduced because the heat conducting electrons become trapped and detrapped between regions of strong magnetic field (magnetic mirrors). The problem reduces to a simple but realistic model for diffusion of mono-energetic electrons based on the fact that when there is a reduction of diffusion, it is controlled by a subset of the mirrors, the principle mirrors. The diffusion reduction can be considered as equivalent to an enhancement of the pitch angle scattering rate. Therefore, in deriving the collision integral, we modify the pitch angle scattering term. We take into account the full perturbed electron-electron collision integral, as well as the electron-proton collision term. Finally, we obtain the four plasma transport coefficients and the effective thermal conductivity. We express them as reductions from the classical values. We present these reductions as functions of the ratio of the magnetic field decorrelation length to the electron mean free path at the thermal speed $V_T=\sqrt{2kT/m_e}$. We briefly discuss an application of our results to clusters of galaxies. Key words: magnetic fields: conduction --- magnetic fields: diffusion --- methods: analytical --- plasmas
25 pages, 7 figures, 3 appendices
Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph), High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph), Astrophysics (astro-ph), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics
Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph), High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph), Astrophysics (astro-ph), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 52 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
