Electric currents in cosmic plasmas

TLDR

Physics of cosmic plasmas has shifted from a magnetic‑field dominated view to a current‑based perspective, reflecting the dual field–particle description that now guides the study of plasma phenomena. The authors survey particle‑driven phenomena and illustrate how drawing electric circuits and analyzing their properties, including simple circuit models, provides insight into these processes. They identify electric double layers, explosive events such as magnetic substorms and solar flares, and inter‑regional energy transfer as key manifestations of the current aspect.

Abstract

Since the beginning of the century, physics has been dualistic in the sense that some phenomena are described by a field concept and others by a particle concept. This dualism is essential also in the physics of cosmic plasmas: some phenomena should be described by a magnetic field formalism, and others by an electric current formalism. During the first period of evolution of cosmic plasma physics the magnetic field aspect has dominated, and a fairly exhaustive description has been given of those phenomena, like the propagation of waves, which can be described in this way. We have now entered a second period, which is dominated by a systematic exploration of the particle (or current) aspect. A survey is given of a number of phenomena which can be understood only from the particle aspect. These include the formation of electric double layers, the origin of ‘explosive’ events like magnetic substorms and solar flares, and further, the transfer of energy from one region to another. A useful method of exploring many of these phenomena is to draw the electric circuit in which the current flows and to study its properties. A number of simple circuits are analyzed in this way.