Two-dimensional Hybrid Simulations of Kinetic Plasma Turbulence: Current   and Vorticity vs Proton Temperature
  Proton temperature anisotropies between the directions parallel and perpendicular to the mean magnetic field are usually observed in the solar wind plasma. Here, we employ a high-resolution hybrid particle-in-cell simulation in order to investigate the relation between spatial properties of the proton temperature and the peaks in the current density and in the flow vorticity. Our results indicate that, although regions where the proton temperature is enhanced and temperature anisotropies are larger correspond approximately to regions where many thin current sheets form, no firm quantitative evidence supports the idea of a direct causality between the two phenomena. On the other hand, quite a clear correlation between the behavior of the proton temperature and the out-of-plane vorticity is obtained. 
Luca Franci, Petr Hellinger, Lorenzo Matteini, Andrea Verdini, and   Simone Landi
physics.space-ph astro-ph.SR