Electrostatic instabilities in plasmas with two electron components

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA090iA09p08213· OSTI ID:6441591

Gary, S P

This paper considers the linear theory of electrostatic Vlasov instabilities driven by the relative drift between two Maxwellian electron components in an unmagnetized, homogeneous plasma bearing zero current. The dispersion properties, threshold drift speeds, and growth rates of the electron beam instability, the conventional ion acoustic instability, and the ion acoustic beam instability are compared in detailed parametric studies. A new way of illustrating the parameter regimes in which each of these three instabilities has the lowest threshold drift speed is demonstrated. This leads to clearly illustrated criteria for determining when enhanced electrostatic fluctuations between the ion and electron plasma frequencies may be observed in plasmas with two electron components. In the case of a hot beam this criterion is a beam density n/sub b/ which satisfies 0.05< or approx. =n/sub b//n/sub e/< or approx. =0.30 where n/sub e/ is the total electron density.

• Research Organization: Earth and Space Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico
• OSTI ID: 6441591
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 90:A9; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BEAMS
BOLTZMANN-VLASOV EQUATION
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON DRIFT
ELECTROSTATICS
EQUATIONS
HOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
ION ACOUSTIC WAVES
ION BEAMS
ION DRIFT
ION WAVES
LEPTON BEAMS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA
PLASMA WAVES