Pressure-strain interaction. II. Decomposition in magnetic field-aligned coordinates

In weakly collisional and collisionless magnetized plasmas, the pressure-strain interaction describes the rate of conversion between bulk flow and thermal energy density. In this study, we derive an analytical expression for the pressure-strain interaction in a coordinate system with an axis aligned with the local magnetic field. The result is eight groups of terms corresponding to different physical mechanisms that can contribute to the pressure-strain interaction. We provide a physical description of each term. The results are immediately of interest to weakly collisional and collisionless magnetized plasmas and the fundamental processes that happen therein, including magnetic reconnection, magnetized plasma turbulence, and collisionless shocks. The terms in the field-aligned coordinate decomposition are likely accessible to measurement with satellite observations.

Automated summary

In this study, an analytical expression for the pressure-strain interaction in weakly collisional and collisionless magnetized plasmas is derived. The results are immediately relevant to the understanding of fundamental processes such as magnetic reconnection, magnetized plasma turbulence, and collisionless shocks. The terms in the field-aligned coordinate decomposition can potentially be measured using satellite observations.