Turbulence, plasma instabilities, transport and magnetogenesis in galaxy clusters
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Physics
Abstract
The clusters of galaxies are the largest structured objects in the Universe. Most of the luminous matter contained in clusters is in the form of ionised gas, or plasma (called the intracluster medium, or ICM). This plasma is believed to be in a turbulent state, i.e., it is moving in a disordered fashion. It is also permeated by tangled magnetic fields, which impart a certain elasticity to the plasma motions and also alter the motion of individual particles. All large scale processes in clusters - such as, for example, the propagation of waves and shocks, formation and movement of 'bubbles' blown by the active galaxies in cluster cores etc. - occur in this turbulent magnetised medium and are profoundly affected by it. This proposal is for an investigation of the fundamental physical properties of the ICM: what kind of turbulent motions and electromagnetic fluctuations exist in it? how is the energy of ICM motions dissipated into heat? how is heat trnasported across clusters? what is the origin and structure of magnetic fields in clusters? All these questions must be faced in order for us to be able to make sense of the rapidly increasing amount of observational evidence (obtained with radiotelescopes and with X-ray satellite observatories) and also to develop correct numerical models of clusters. More broadly, the problem of turbulence, which is at the centre of this research, is an exciting and formidable intellectual challenge, sometimes referred to as the last great unsolvedx problem of classical physics. Intertwined with the problem of magnetogenesis (the origin of cosmic magnetism), it continues to inspire both theoretical physicists and astronomers.
Organisations
Publications
Rosin M
(2011)
A non-linear theory of the parallel firehose and gyrothermal instabilities in a weakly collisional plasma Theory of firehose and gyrothermal instabilities
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kunz M
(2011)
A thermally stable heating mechanism for the intracluster medium: turbulence, magnetic fields and plasma instabilities Thermally stable heating of the ICM
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wicks RT
(2013)
Alignment and scaling of large-scale fluctuations in the solar wind.
in Physical review letters
Chen C
(2011)
Anisotropy of Alfvénic turbulence in the solar wind and numerical simulations Anisotropy of Alfvénic turbulence
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wicks R
(2011)
Anisotropy of Imbalanced Alfvénic Turbulence in Fast Solar Wind
in Physical Review Letters
Chen CH
(2010)
Anisotropy of solar wind turbulence between ion and electron scales.
in Physical review letters
Churazov E
(2016)
Arithmetic with X-ray images of galaxy clusters: effective equation of state for small-scale perturbations in the ICM
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schekochihin A
(2009)
ASTROPHYSICAL GYROKINETICS: KINETIC AND FLUID TURBULENT CASCADES IN MAGNETIZED WEAKLY COLLISIONAL PLASMAS
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Description | The publication list reflects the key findings. |
Exploitation Route | Some theories and methods that were developed carry over to bordering disciplines and areas of activity, most importantly magnetic fusion research. |
Sectors | Energy |