Nonlinear electron transport in magnetized laser plasmas

Abstract

Electron transport in a magnetized plasma heated by inverse bremsstrahlung is studied numerically using a nonlinear Fokker–Planck model with self-consistent E and B fields. The numerical scheme is described. Nonlocal transport is found to alter many of the transport coefficients derived from linear transport theory, in particular, the Nernst and Righi–Leduc effects, in addition to the perpendicular heat flux q⊥, are substantially reduced near critical surface. The magnetic field, however, remains strongly coupled to the nonlinear q⊥ and, as has been found in hydrosimulations, convective amplification of the magnetic field occurs in the overdense plasma.