Simulations of the single-mode, bump-on-tail instability

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.865236· OSTI ID:5424387

Denavit, J

The nonlinear saturation of the single-mode, bump-on-tail instability is studied by numerical solutions of the Vlasov equation. Modes close to marginal stability are found to saturate with a field amplitude Eproportional..delta../sup 2/, where the small parameter ..delta.. = 2(..omega..-..omega..')/..omega..' defines the difference between the mode frequency ..omega.. and the frequency ..omega..' of the marginally stable mode. This scaling agrees with O'Neil's theory (Phys. Fluids 14, 1204 (1971)) of the two-stream instability, and does not confirm the time asymptotic analysis of Simon and Rosenbluth (Phys. Fluids 19, 1567 (1976)), which predicts larger amplitudes with Eproportional..delta../sup 1//sup ///sup 2/.

• Research Organization: University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550
• OSTI ID: 5424387
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 28:9; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BOLTZMANN-VLASOV EQUATION
BUMP-IN-TAIL INSTABILITY
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
INSTABILITY
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
SATURATION
SCALING LAWS