skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Extraordinary-Mode Radiation Produced by Linear-Mode Conversion of Langmuir Waves

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ;  [1]
  1. School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia)

Linear-mode conversion (LMC) of Langmuir waves to radiation near the plasma frequency at density gradients is important for space and astrophysical phenomena. We study LMC in warm magnetized plasmas using numerical electron fluid simulations when the density gradient is parallel to the ambient magnetic field (B{sub 0}). We demonstrate that LMC can produce extraordinary- (x-) as well as ordinary- (o-) mode radiation from Langmuir waves, contrary to earlier expectations of o mode only. Equal amounts of o- and x-mode radiation are produced in the unmagnetized limit. The x-mode efficiency decreases as B{sub 0} increases, while the o-mode efficiency oscillates due to interference between incoming and reflected Langmuir waves. Both x and o modes should be produced for typical coronal and interplanetary parameters, alleviating the depolarization problem for type III solar radio bursts.

OSTI ID:
20957855
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.015003; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English