Properties of drift waves in a filamentary density depletion

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872153· OSTI ID:467292

Penano, J R; Morales, G J; Maggs, J E ^[1]

---

1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States)

This analytical and numerical study explores the properties of electrostatic, drift-wave eigenmodes trapped within a magnetic field-aligned depletion in plasma density and temperature whose transverse dimension is on the order of the electron skin depth. The dependence of the complex eigenfrequencies on key parameters is investigated for collisionless and collisional plasma. The collisional description is based on the Lorentz model of electron pitch-angle scattering. The separate roles of the gradients in density and temperature are illustrated for the collisional and collisionless regimes. The predictions are compared to experimental observations [J. E. Maggs and G. J. Morales, Geophys. Res. Lett. {bold 23}, 633 (1996); Phys. Plasmas {bold 4}, 290 (1997)] of a controlled striation in the laboratory. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 467292
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 4; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
EIGENFREQUENCY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
FLUCTUATIONS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA SIMULATION
PLASMA WAVES