Modulational instability and its consequences for the beat-wave accelerator

Journal Article · Mon Oct 03 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.61.1611· OSTI ID:6821839

Mora, P; Pesme, D; Heron, A; Laval, G; Silvestre, N

The modulational instability caused by the coupling of a Langmuir wave to the ion motion is investigated in the domain of large v/sub L//V/sub te/>1 ratios, where v/sub L/ and v/sub t//sub e/ denote the pump Langmuir-wave quiver velocity and the electron thermal velocity, respectively. A convenient approximate expression for the growth rate is given for v/sub L//v/sub te/<50(A/Z)/sup 1/6/. The limitation of the beat plasmon growth due to the modulational instability is studied in the context of plasma beat wave experiments and the maximum beat plasmon amplitude is determined numerically.

• Research Organization: Centre de Physique Theorique, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau-Cedex, France
• OSTI ID: 6821839
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 61:14; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
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ACCELERATORS
BEAT WAVE ACCELERATORS
COUPLING
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
ION DRIFT
MODULATION
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA WAVES
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA