Electromagnetic electron beam instabilities: Hot, isotropic beams

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1923 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5009500

Gary, S P

This paper considers the linear theory of electromagnetic instabilities driven by an electron beam in a homogeneous, nonrelativistic, Vlasov plasma. The beam is relative hot, isotropic in its own frame, and streams parallel or antiparallel to a magnetic field B. Numerical solutions of the full dispersion equation for propagation parallel of antiparallel to B are presented, and the linear properties of the whistler heat flux and electron beam firehose instabilities are exhibited and compared. Under a broad range of parameters the former mode has the lower beam speed threshold, and the larger maximum growth rate. In addition, it is demonstrated that, for a sufficiently large relative beam density, relative beam temperature, and plasma beta the whistler heat flux instability has a much lower beam speed threshold than the electrostatic electron beam instability. The application of these instabilities to first-order Fermi acceleration of electrons at space plasma shocks is discussed.

• Research Organization: Earth and Space Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico
• OSTI ID: 5009500
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 90:A11; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
BEAMS
BOLTZMANN-VLASOV EQUATION
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRON BEAMS
EQUATIONS
INSTABILITY
LEPTON BEAMS
MAGNETOSHEATH
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
SHOCK WAVES