Whistler wave excitation and effects of self-focusing on ion beam propagation through a background plasma along a solenoidal magnetic field

Journal Article · Mon Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3280013· OSTI ID:21347133

Dorf, Mikhail A; Kaganovich, Igor D; Startsev, Edward A; Davidson, Ronald C ^[1]

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1. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

This paper extends studies of ion beam transport through a background plasma along a solenoidal magnetic field by Kaganovich et al. [Phys. Plasmas 15, 103108 (2008)] to the important regime of moderate magnetic field strength satisfying omega{sub ce}>2beta{sub b}omega{sub pe}. Here, omega{sub ce} and omega{sub pe} are the electron cyclotron frequency and electron plasma frequency, respectively, and beta{sub b}=v{sub b}/c is the directed ion beam velocity normalized to the speed of light. The electromagnetic field perturbations excited by the ion beam pulse in this regime are calculated analytically and verified by comparison with the numerical simulations. The degrees of beam charge neutralization and current neutralization are estimated, and the transverse component of the Lorentz force associated with the excited electromagnetic field is calculated. It is found that the plasma response to the ion beam pulse is significantly different depending on whether the value of the solenoidal magnetic field is below or above the threshold value specified by omega{sub ce}{sup cr}=2beta{sub b}omega{sub pe}, and corresponding to the resonant excitation of large-amplitude whistler waves. The use of intense whistler wave excitations for diagnostic purposes is also discussed.

• OSTI ID: 21347133
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 17; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
BEAMS
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CYCLOTRON FREQUENCY
DISTURBANCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FERMIONS
FOCUSING
ION BEAMS
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NOISE
PLASMA SIMULATION
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SIMULATION
WHISTLERS