Numerical simulations of turbulent trapping in the weak beam--plasma instability

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.866488· OSTI ID:6230957

Theilhaber, K; Laval, G; Pesme, D

Numerical simulations of the weak beam--plasma instability were done in the turbulent regime where small-scale trapping is a dominant feature of the instability, a regime with behavior not predicted by quasilinear theory. It occurs when the trapping frequency ..nu.. = (k/sup 2/D)/sup 1//sup ///sup 3/ is larger than the growth rate ..gamma../sub k/ of the instability. The results of the simulations were compared with those of a specific model of the turbulence, the so-called ''turbulent trapping'' model, which gives precise formulas for the particle correlation functions, and predicts a growth rate well enhanced over the quasilinear value. It was found that the model gives accurate predictions for the correlation functions, and thus provides a good description of the turbulent structure of phase space. On the other hand, while growth rates were enhanced over the quasilinear values, the enhancements observed are smaller than expected from the quantitative predictions of the model.

• Research Organization: Plasma Theory and Simulation Group, Electronics Research Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94705
• OSTI ID: 6230957
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 30:10; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700103* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Kinetics
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
FUNCTIONS
INSTABILITY
MATHEMATICS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
REVIEWS
SIMULATION
TRAPPING
TURBULENCE