Influence of axial energy spread on the negative-mass instability in a relativistic nonneutral E-layer

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5670610

Uhm, H; Davidson, R C

This paper investigates the influence of an axial energy spread on the negative-mass instability in a relativistic nonneutral E-layer aligned parallel to a uniform axial magnetic field (B sub 0)(e sub z). The stability analysis is carried out within the framework of the linearized Vlasov-Maxwell equations. It is assumed that the E-layer is thin with radial thickness much smaller than the mean radius and that nu gamma sub 0 << 1, where nu is Budker's parameter and gamma sub 0 mc-squared is the mean electron energy. Stability properties are investigated for the choice of electron distribution function in which all electrons have the same value of canonical angular momentum and a step-function distribution in axial momentum p sub z. The negative-mass growth rate is calculated including the important stabilizing influence of axial energy spread, and it is shown that modest energy spread is sufficient to stabilize perturbations with axial wavenumber.

• Research Organization: Maryland Univ., College Park (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
• OSTI ID: 5670610
• Report Number(s): AD-A-070484
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BEAMS
BOLTZMANN-VLASOV EQUATION
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRON BEAMS
EQUATIONS
INSTABILITY
LAYERS
LEPTON BEAMS
MAXWELL EQUATIONS
NEGATIVE MASS INSTABILITY
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES