Simulation of the electron acoustic instability for a finite-size electron beam system

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA07p07569· OSTI ID:6277464

Lin, C S; Winske, D

Satellite observations at midlatitudes (approx. =20,000 km) near the earth's dayside polar cusp boundary layer indicate that the upward electron beams have a narrow latitudinal width up to 0.1. In the cusp boundary layer where the electron population consists of a finite-size electron beam in a background of uniform cold and hot electrons, the electron acoustic mode is unstable inside the electron beam but damped outside the electron beam. Simulations of the electron acoustic instability for a finite-size beam system are carried out with a particle-in-cell code to investigate the heating phenomena associated with the instability and the width of the heating region. The simulations show that the finite-size electron beam radiates electrostatic electron acoustic waves. The decay length of the electron acoustic waves outside the beam in the simulation agrees with the spatial decay length derived from the linear dispersion equation.

• Research Organization: Department of Space Sciences, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
• OSTI ID: 6277464
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 92:A7; 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
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRON PLASMA WAVES
HEATING
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA WAVES
POLAR CUSP
SIMULATION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS