Viscosity of the magnetized strongly coupled one-component plasma

TL;DR

This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to analyze how magnetic fields affect the viscosity tensor of a strongly coupled one-component plasma across different coupling and magnetization regimes.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed computation of the full viscosity tensor of magnetized strongly coupled plasmas using Green-Kubo relations.

Findings

Magnetization significantly alters shear viscosity coefficients when gyrofrequency exceeds collision frequency.

Identifies three regimes based on Coulomb coupling and magnetization strength.

Viscosity coefficients parallel and perpendicular to magnetic field converge at strong Coulomb coupling.

Abstract

The viscosity tensor of the magnetized one-component plasma, consisting of five independent shear viscosity coefficients, a bulk viscosity coefficient, and a cross coefficient, is computed using equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations and the Green-Kubo relations. A broad range of Coulomb coupling and magnetization strength conditions are studied. Magnetization is found to strongly influence the shear viscosity coefficients when the gyrofrequency exceeds the Coulomb collision frequency. Three regimes are identified as the Coulomb coupling strength and magnetization strength are varied. The Green-Kubo relations are used to separate kinetic and potential energy contributions to each viscosity coefficient, showing how each contribution depends upon the magnetization strength. The shear viscosity coefficient associated with the component of the stress tensor parallel to the magnetic field, and the two coefficients associated with the component perpendicular to the magnetic field, are all found to merge to a common value at strong Coulomb coupling.