Stabilization of electrostatic, purely growing, finite ion gyroradius, flute instabilities in the ionosphere

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA086iA09p07513· OSTI ID:5801991

Sperling, J L; Krall, N A

The ambient background plasma is shown to have an important stabilizing influence on the generation of electrostatic, purely growing, finite ion gyroradius, flute instabilities driven by ion loss cone distribution functions associated with shaped barium injection across the ambient magnetic field in the ionosphere. This stabilization implies that such short scale size instabilities and the striations they produce will only be present if the background plasma density is low enough. Consistent with the experimental observations of the striations, it is shown that for the parameters of the Buaro barium release experiment the background plasma density is insufficient to completely stabilize the finite ion gyroradius modes; however, background ion density does reduce the growth rate from the level predicted with a theory which does not include the background plasma dynamics.

• Research Organization: JAYCOR, San Diego, California 92138
• OSTI ID: 5801991
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 86:A9; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARIUM
BEAM INJECTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTS
FLUTE INSTABILITY
FUNCTIONS
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
ION BEAM INJECTION
ION PROBES
IONOSPHERE
LARMOR RADIUS
METALS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
PROBES