STREAM INSTABILITIES IN RELATIVISTICALLY HOT PLASMA

Journal Article · Tue Jan 10 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/182· OSTI ID:22004236

Shaisultanov, Rashid; Lyubarsky, Yuri; Eichler, David ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, Ben-Gurion University, Be'er-Sheva 84105 (Israel)

The growth rates for Weibel and Buneman instabilities of relativistic ion beams in a relativistically hot electron background are derived analytically for general propagation angles. The Weibel instability perpendicular to the streaming direction is found to be the fastest growing mode and probably the first to appear. Oblique, quasiperpendicular modes grow almost as fast as the growth rate varies only moderately with angle, and they may distort or corrugate the filaments after the perpendicular mode saturates. The growth rate of the purely longitudinal (Buneman) mode is significantly smaller, contrary to the non-relativistic case. The results are consistent with simulations, which display aligned magnetic filaments and their subsequent disruption.

• OSTI ID: 22004236
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 744; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMOLOGY
ELECTRONS
HOT PLASMA
ION BEAMS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
SHOCK WAVES