Collisional and wave-particle interactions in critical-velocity ionization

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6281727

McNeil, W J; Lai, S T; Murad, E

Alfven's critical ionization velocity (CIV) process involves collective and collisional interactions of a magnetoplasma streaming through a neutral gas. Numerical simulations of CIV are reported using particle-in-cell plasma codes including various collisional interactions. Fast electron heating is observed. The interplay between collisional and collective interactions renders the hot electron tail shorter than in non-CIV situations with collisionless wave-particle interactions without a neutral gas. Metastable states serve in the role of energy pooling and foster rapid ionization near the critical velocity. Line excitation is a severe energy loss mechanism. Charge exchange replenishes ion energy and is important during tight energy budget situations near the critical velocity.

• Research Organization: Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6281727
• Report Number(s): AD-A-225685/7/XAB; GL-TR--90-0191
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHARGE EXCHANGE
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
EXCITED STATES
FERMIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
GASES
HEATING
HYDRODYNAMICS
INTERACTIONS
IONIZATION
IONS
LEPTONS
LOSSES
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICS
METASTABLE STATES
NEUTRAL PARTICLES
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
PARTICLES
PLASMA
SIMULATION
VELOCITY