Electron/electron acoustic instability

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.866040· OSTI ID:6408449

Gary, S P

The electron acoustic wave becomes a normal mode of an unmagnetized collisionless plasma in the presence of two electron components with similar densities, but strongly disparate temperatures. The characteristic frequency of this mode is the plasma frequency of the cooler electron component. If these two electron components have a relative drift speed several times the thermal speed of the cooler component, the electron/electron acoustic instability may arise. This paper describes the parametric dependences of the threshold drift speed and maximum growth rate of this instability, and compares these with the same properties of the electron/ion acoustic instability. Under the condition of zero current, the electron/ion acoustic instability typically has the lower threshold drift speed, so that observation of the electron/electron acoustic instability is a strong indication of the presence of an electrical current in the plasma.

• Research Organization: Earth and Space Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
• OSTI ID: 6408449
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 30:9; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON DRIFT
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
SOUND WAVES