Lorentz invariant ´potential magnetic field´ and magnetic flux conservation in an ideal relativistic plasma

Year: 2018

Authors: Pegoraro; F.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Pisa, Dept Phys, Largo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy

Abstract: A family of Lorentz invariant scalar functions of the magnetic field is defined in an ideal relativistic plasma. These invariants are advected by the plasma fluid motion and play the role of the potential magnetic field introduced by Hide in (Ann. Geophys., vol. 1, 1983, 59) along the lines of Ertel?s theorem. From these invariants we recover the Cauchy conditions for the magnetic field components in the mapping from Eulerian to Lagrangian variables. In addition, the adopted procedure allows us to formulate, in a Lorentz invariant form, the Alfven theorem for the conservation of the magnetic flux through a surface comoving with the plasma.

Journal/Review: JOURNAL OF PLASMA PHYSICS

Volume: 84 (4)      Pages from: 725840403-1  to: 725840403-4

KeyWords: astrophysical plasmas, plasma dynamics, plasma flows
DOI: 10.1017/S0022377818000910