Weibel Instabilities in Dense Quantum Plasmas

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum effects influence the Weibel instability in dense plasmas, revealing stabilization in some regimes and the emergence of new oscillatory behaviors, with implications for astrophysics and laser experiments.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of quantum damping and demonstrates the dual role of quantum effects in stabilizing or destabilizing plasma instabilities.

Findings

Quantum effects stabilize the Weibel instability in the hydrodynamic regime.

Quantum effects induce a new oscillatory instability in the kinetic regime.

Quantum damping related to Landau damping is identified.

Abstract

The quantum effect on the Weibel instability in an unmagnetized plasma is presented. Our analysis shows that the quantum effect tends to stabilize the Weibel instability in the hydrodynamic regime, whereas it produces a new oscillatory instability in the kinetic regime. A novel effect the quantum damping, which is associated with the Landau damping, is disclosed. The new quantum Weibel instability may be responsible for the generation of non-stationary magnetic fields in compact astrophysical objects as well as in the forthcoming intense laser-solid density plasma experiments.