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Electromagnetic instabilities in a focused ion beam propagating through a z-discharge plasma

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5935134· OSTI ID:5935134
A beam-plasma system consisting of a focused light ion beam propagating through a z-discharge plasma is analyzed for electromagnetic velocity space instabilities. In particular, the Weibel (k B = 0, k V/sub z/ approx. = 0) and the Whistler (k X B approx. = 0, k V/sub z/ = 0) instabilities are studied. It is found that unstable modes do not grow fast enough to affect the beam propagation in a pellet-fusion-reactor chamber. For k V/sub z/ greater than or equal to 0, the instabilities convect with a velocity much less than the beam streaming velocity.
Research Organization:
Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (USA)
OSTI ID:
5935134
Report Number(s):
NRL-MR-4088
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English