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

Title: Time dependent evolution of linear kinetic Alfvén waves in inhomogeneous plasma

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4906882· OSTI ID:22408054
 [1]
  1. Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6315 (United States)

The propagation of linear Kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) in inhomogeneous magnetized plasma has been studied while including inhomogeneities in transverse and parallel directions relative to the background magnetic field. The propagation of KAWs in inhomogeneous magnetized plasma is expected to play a key role in energy transfer and turbulence generation in space and laboratory plasmas. The inhomogeneity scale lengths in both directions may control the nature of fluctuations and localization of the waves. We present a theoretical study of the localization of KAWs, variations in magnetic field amplitude in time, and variation in the frequency spectra arising from inhomogeneities. The relevance of the model to space and laboratory observations is discussed.

OSTI ID:
22408054
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English