Possible phase transition in plasma mirror modes

TL;DR

This paper investigates the phase transition in plasma mirror modes, highlighting the resonant electron-ion interactions that lead to a transition resembling superconductivity in high-temperature plasmas.

Contribution

It explicitly calculates the bouncing electron effects and identifies the resonant interaction as the key factor in the phase transition of plasma mirror modes.

Findings

Resonant electron-ion interactions drive the phase transition.

Bouncing electrons significantly influence the mirror mode growth.

Electric field effects are negligible in the transition process.

Abstract

Mirror modes in collisionless high-temperature plasmas represent macroscopic high-temperature quasi-superconductors. We explicitly calculate the bouncing electron contribution to the ion-mode growth rate, diamagnetic surface current responsible for the Meissner effect, and the weak attracting electric field. The mean electric field turns out to be negligible. Pairing is a second-order effect of minor importance. The physically important effect is the resonant interaction between bouncing electrons and the thermal ion-sound background. It is responsible for the mirror mode to evolve as a phase transition from normal to quasi-superconducting state.