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 00:00:00 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, Vol. 17, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3280013; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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