Theory of electric field correlations in a two-dimensional drift plasma

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Recently, the results of numerical simulations of electric field correlations in a two‐dimensional drift plasma by Okuda et al. were compared with theories of strong turbulence. Discrepancies were claimed to exist. Here, a brief re‐examination is made of both theories and simulations. It is found that the ’’observed’’ time dependence of the correlation is explained by theory if the short time, inertial motion, of the particles is accounted for. This inertial motion also goes a long way toward explaining the strong magnetic field dependence of the ’’observed’’ e‐folding time. It is pointed out that the parameters of the simulations only marginally satisfy a basic validity condition of the theories, and that close agreement would require a more elaborate theory, than is presently available, in which higher order cumulants of the particle orbits are calculated.