Instability of electromagnetic ion cyclotron harmonic waves in plasmas
The stability of electromagnetic ion cyclotron harmonic waves propagating normal to an external magnetic field is studied for plasmas whose ions possess loss cone type velocity distributions. It is found that, if the ions are stationary, no instability develops except in the extreme case when the ratio of parallel to perpendicular ''temperatures'' of the ions is of the order m/ sub i//m/sub e/, where m/sub i/ and m/sub e/ are the ion and electron masses respectively. However, for the case of two counterstreaming ion beams in a neutralizing background of electrons, instability at zero frequency and near the first several ion cyclotron harmonics can occur if the streaming velocity is of the order of the electron thermal speed. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Chinese Univ. of Hong Kong
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-33-002842
- OSTI ID:
- 4183617
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., v. PS-3, no. 3, pp. 122-125, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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