Ordinary mode instability associated with thermal ring distribution

Journal Article · Sun Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4907657· OSTI ID:22408065

Hadi, F.; Qamar, A. ^[1]; Yoon, P. H. ^[2]

---

1. Institute of Physics and Electronics, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000 (Pakistan)
2. Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

The purely growing ordinary (O) mode instability driven by excessive parallel temperature anisotropy has recently received renewed attention owing to its potential applicability to the solar wind plasma. Previous studies of O mode instability have assumed either bi-Maxwellian or counter-streaming velocity distributions. For solar wind plasma trapped in magnetic mirror-like geometry such as magnetic clouds or in the vicinity of the Earth's collisionless bow shock environment, however, the velocity distribution function may possess a loss-cone feature. The O-mode instability in such a case may be excited for cyclotron harmonics as well as the purely growing branch. The present paper investigates the O-mode instability for plasmas characterized by the parallel Maxwellian distribution and perpendicular thermal ring velocity distribution in order to understand the general stability characteristics.

• OSTI ID: 22408065
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 22; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANISOTROPY
BOLTZMANN STATISTICS
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
CYCLOTRON HARMONICS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
LOSS CONE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
RINGS
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR WIND
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRAPPING
VELOCITY