Quantum Weibel Instability

The Weibel instability is analyzed for quantum plasmas described by the Wigner-Maxwell model. For a suitable class of electromagnetic potentials, the Wigner-Maxwell system is linearized yielding a general dispersion relation for transverse electromagnetic waves. For a double Gaussian equilibrium with temperature anisotropy, the derived dispersion relation generalizes the classical Weibel instability equation. More detailed analytical results are obtained for the cases of extreme temperature anisotropy and for a three-dimensional water bag distribution. In all cases, quantum effects tends to weaken or suppress the instability. Applications are discussed for dense astrophysical objects like white dwarfs and neutron stars as well as for tunnel-ionized plasmas with controllable perpendicular plasma temperature.