Electron cyclotron maser instability for astrophysical plasmas

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.864383· OSTI ID:5829542

Freund, H P; Wong, H K; Wu, C S; Xu, M J

The electron cyclotron maser instability is analyzed for a plasma which consists of a suprathermal electron component characterized by velocity-space anisotropies in directions both parallel and perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field, as well as a high-density thermal plasma in which ..omega../sub e/approx...cap omega../sub e/ (where ..omega../sub e/ and ..cap omega../sub e/ are the electron plasma and cyclotron frequencies). The complete relativistic resonance condition is used and shown to result in a ''resonance ellipse'' in momentum space. The instability is considered for both cold and warm suprathermal electron distributions, and for frequencies ..omega..approx...cap omega../sub e/ in the ordinary mode and ..omega..approx.2..cap omega../sub e/ in the fast extraordinary mode. It is shown that the growth rates are comparable for these harmonics over a wide range of parameters which, since they are escape modes of the plasma, can lead to comparable radiation intensities.

• Research Organization: Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
• OSTI ID: 5829542
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 26:8; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
ASTROPHYSICS
CYCLOTRON INSTABILITY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION
ENERGY RANGE
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
LOSS CONE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
RADIATIONS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
RESONANCE
STIMULATED EMISSION
TRAPS