Electron streams formation and secondary two stream instability onset in the post-saturation regime of the classical Weibel instability

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3587089· OSTI ID:21537786

Innocenti, M E; Markidis, S; Lapenta, G; Poedts, S ^[1]; Lazar, M ^[1]

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1. Centrum voor Plasma-Astrofysica, Departement Wiskunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

The electrostatic activity in the post-saturation regime of the velocity anisotropy driven Weibel instability is investigated by means of 1D 3V particle in cell simulations. Two different initial simulation configurations have been chosen to characterize the electrostatic activity in the post-saturation stage. A secondary two stream instability arises in both cases. However, significant differences occur in the thickness of the electron streams, in their initial locations, and in their effects on the bulk electron phase space distribution. An Hamiltonian description of particle motion in a 1D setting explains these differences in terms of the effective potential experienced by particles as a function of their initial perpendicular velocity. The different roles of the longitudinal electric field and the Lorentz force in the formation of electron streams are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 21537786
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 18; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
INSTABILITY
LEPTONS
LORENTZ FORCE
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
PHASE SPACE
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA SIMULATION
SIMULATION
SPACE
TWO-STREAM INSTABILITY