Influence of self-fields on the Vlasov equilibrium and stability properties of relativistic electron beam-plasma systems
The influence of self-fields on the equilibrium and stability properties of relativistic beam-plasma systems is studied with the framework of the Vlasov- Maxwell equations. The analysis is carried out in linear geometry, where the relativistic electron beam propagates through a background plasma (assumed nonrelativistic) along a uniform guide field B$sub 0$e/subz/. It is assumed that $nu$$/$$gamma$$sub 0$very-much-less-than1 for the beam electrons ($nu$ is Budker's parameter, and $gamma$$sub 0$mc$sup 2$ is the electron energy), but no a priori assumption is made that the beam density is small (or large) in comparison with the plasma density, or that conditions of charge neutrality or current neutrality prevail in equilibrium. It is shown that the equilibrium self-electric and self- magnetic fields, E/subr/ /subs/(r) e/subr/ and B/sub theta/ /subs/(r) e/sub theta/ , can have a large effect on equilibrium and stability behavior. Equilibrium properties are calculated for beam (j=b) and plasma (j=e,i) distribution functions of the form f/subb/ $sup 0$(H, P/sub theta/, P/subz/) =F (H-$omega$/ subr//subb/P/sub theta/) xdelta (P/subx/-P$sub 0$)(j=b), and f/subj/ $sup 0$(H, P/ sub theta/, P/subz/) =f/subj/$sup 0$(H-$omega$/subr//subj/P/sub theta/-V/subj/P/ subz/ -m/subj/V/subj/ $sup 2$/2) (j=e,i), where H is the energy, P/sub theta/ is the canonical angular momentum, P/subz/ is the axial canonical momentum, and $omega$/subr//subj/ (the angular velocity of mean rotation for j=b,e,i), V/subj/ (the mean axial velocity for J=e,i), and P$sub 0$ are constants. The linearized Vlasov-Maxwell equations are then used to investigate stability properties in circumstances where the equilibrium densities of the various components (j=b, e, i) are approximately constant. The corresponding electrostatic dispersion relation and ordinary-mode electromagnetic dispersion relation are derived (including self-field effects) for (AIP)
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-33-022943
- OSTI ID:
- 4066838
- Journal Information:
- Ann. Phys. (N.Y.), v. 94, no. 2, pp. 209-242, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Synchrotron radiation spectrum for a relativistic plasma column
Kinetic description of negative-mass instability in an intense relativistic nonneutral E layer