Kinetic theory of E{sub 0} x B{sub 0} instabilities in the ionosphere
- Hanscom Air Force Base, MA (United States)
A self-consistent kinetic theory of the E{sub 0}xB{sub 0} instabilities in partially ionized, inhomogeneous plasmas with arbitrary values of {nu}{sub {alpha}}/{Omega}{sub {alpha}}, where {nu}{sub {alpha}} represents the electron (ion)-neutral collision frequency and {Omega}{sub {alpha}} is the electron (ion) gyrofrequency, is presented. The theory is based on the kinetic equation with a particle number conserving collision term which allows the particle distribution function to relax toward a local Maxwellian distribution at rest. The method consists of first solving the zero-order kinetic equation to determine the self-consistent equilibrium distribution function. The distribution function is shown to accurately represent the plasma equilibrium state, with appropriate Hall and Pedersen drifts that occur in a collisional plasma in the presence of crossed ambient electric and magnetic fields. The linear dispersion relation is then derived from the first-order kinetic equation, and it can be used to study the E{sub 0}xB{sub 0} instabilities in all altitude regions of the ionosphere in a unified manner, without the need for any a priori knowledge of the different types of particle drifts (Hall and Pedersen drifts) that are responsible for the instabilities in different altitude regions. The present theory therefore provides a more rigorous kinetic description of the E{sub 0}xB{sub 0} instabilities than that obtained from the previously studied kinetic model in which the zero-order particle drifts are not determined self-consistently but have to be specified extraneously. 21 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 227162
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 100, Issue A10; Other Information: PBD: 1 Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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