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Ion parallel viscosity and anisotropy in MHD turbulence

Abstract
We report on results from direct numerical simulation of the incompressible three- dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, modified to incorporate viscous dissipation via the strongly anisotropic ion-parallel viscosity term. Both linear and nonlinear cases are considered, all with a strong background magnetic field. It is found that spectral anisotropy develops in almost all cases, but that the contribution from effects associated with the ion-parallel viscosity is relatively weak compared with the previously reported nonlinear process. Furthermore, and in contrast to this earlier work, it is suggested that when B₀ is large, the anisotropy will develop and persist for many large-scale turnover times even for non-dissipative runs. Resistive dissipation is found to dominate over viscous even when the resistivity is several orders of magnitude smaller than the ion parallel viscosity. A variance anisotropy effect and anisotropy dependence on the polarization of the fluctuations are also observed.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Oughton, S. (1996). Ion parallel viscosity and anisotropy in MHD turbulence. J. Plasma Phys., 56(03), 641-657.
Date
1996
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
©1996 Cambridge University Press.