Thermal effects on the electromagnetic instability in a counterstreaming electron plasma
The thermal effects on the characteristics of the instability of a plane electromagnetic wave propagating obliquely to a counterstreaming electron plasma are investigated using a simple velocity distribution for the electrons. For all directions of the wave vector unstable waves exist for wavenumbers below a cutoff value. The velocity distribution of the electrons is found to reduce the cutoff wavenumber and the growth rate, and this reduction is seen to increase as the wave vector is further removed from the direction of the streams. In contrast to a zero-temperature plasma, the thermal effects quench the instability for all directions of the wave vector with respect to the counterstreaming plasma for wavenumbers above a certain maximum value which is inversely proportional to the average thermal velocity. Also, the dependence of the growth rate on the stream direction with respect to the wave vector is examined for various values of the wavenumber. The velocity distribution of the electrons decreases the growth rate and this inhibiting influence increases with increasing values of the wavenumber. In addition, unlike in the case of a zerotemperature plasma, the quasi-static assumption is found to be inapplicable for predicting the characteristics of the instability except for the case in which the wave vector is very nearly parallel to the direction of the streams. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-019880
- OSTI ID:
- 4357545
- Journal Information:
- Can. J. Phys., v. 51, no. 14, pp. 1508-1518, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74; Bib. Info. Source: CAN (Atomic Energy Commission Limited)
- Country of Publication:
- Canada
- Language:
- English
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