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Single-Particle Motion: Drifts in E and B

A charged particle obeying mv˙=q(E+v×B)m\dot{\vec v}=q(\vec E+\vec v\times\vec B), integrated with the Boris pusher, a time-reversible leapfrog that conserves the speed exactly in a pure magnetic field. In a uniform B\vec B the orbit is a helix at the cyclotron frequency ωc=qB/m\omega_c=|q|B/m. Add a perpendicular E\vec E and the guiding centre drifts at vd=E×B/B2\vec v_d=\vec E\times\vec B/B^2, the same for every charge and mass. A gradient or curvature of B\vec B gives the grad-B and curvature drifts; a converging field (a magnetic bottle) reflects the particle, conserving the adiabatic invariant μ=mv2/2B\mu=mv_\perp^2/2B. The trail is the real 3D orbit drawn in an orthographic Canvas2D projection (deterministic and gate-robust; the 3D motion is honestly a projection, not a WebGL scene). The headline readouts are v|\vec v| (constant to 10910^{-9} in pure B\vec B) and μ\mu.

Figure 1. Boris-pushed orbit of a charged particle in static E and B fields, orthographically projected: a cyclotron helix, the E x B drift, grad-B and curvature drifts, and magnetic-mirror reflection with the conserved adiabatic invariant. Method: Boris leapfrog integration of the Lorentz force (gate-tested sim.js); Canvas2D orthographic projection of the 3D trajectory; the live readouts are the conserved speed and magnetic moment.
preset
B strength1.00
charge
speed3

WHAT TO TRY

  • Vary each control and watch the rail readouts respond.
  • Compare the diagnostic plot against the live scene.