Fast matter-antimatter separation via Weibel-induced plasma filamentation

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the Weibel instability can rapidly separate matter from antimatter in a plasma containing protons, antiprotons, and a relativistic lepton stream, using simulations and analytical models.

Contribution

It introduces a new understanding of matter-antimatter separation driven by Weibel instability in plasma with a relativistic lepton stream, supported by PIC simulations and analytical modeling.

Findings

Rapid onset of Weibel instability causes matter-antimatter separation.

Simulation results align with the analytical magnetohydrodynamics model.

The process occurs in plasmas with relativistic lepton streams.

Abstract

We study the separation of matter and antimatter driven by the growth of the Weibel instability in a matter-antimatter plasma. The plasma under consideration comprises protons and antiprotons initially at rest, along with a relativistic stream of leptons (electrons and positrons). This stream is maintained by an external force, potentially originating from phenomena such as a photon wind. Our findings reveal the rapid onset of a Weibel-type instability, leading to a distinct separation of matter and antimatter. Results from our particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations are compared with an analytical model based on the linearized magnetohydrodynamics equations.