Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Modulational instability of strong electromagnetic waves in plasmas

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)
The modulational instability of an arbitrarily-large-amplitude electromagnetic wave is investigated taking into account the relativistic electron quiver velocity and the relativistic ponderomotive force. The interplay between three kinds of slow plasma responses to the electromagnetic wave is examined. The associated temporal growth rates are exhibited graphically. The relevance of our results to laser-driven inertial fusion as well as to the plasma-based beat-wave accelerator is pointed out.
Research Organization:
Fakultat fuer Physik und Astronomie, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, D-4630 Bochum 1, Federal Republic of Germany
OSTI ID:
6056931
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 35:11; ISSN PLRAA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English