Quasilinear evolution of Alfven-ion-cyclotron and mirror instabilities driven by ion temperature anisotropy

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860371· OSTI ID:6995904

Yoon, P H ^[1]

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1. Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

In this paper the simultaneous nonlinear evolution of the Alfven-ion-cyclotron and mirror instabilities driven by an anisotropic ion distribution function are studied. The ions are modeled by a bi-Maxwellian distribution function. For the sake of generality, two ion components are considered; the initially isotropic component and a population possessing a large temperature anisotropy with perpendicular temperature greater than parallel temperature. Here, perpendicular and parallel are defined with respect to the ambient magnetic field. The analysis is based on quasilinear kinetic theory. It is shown that initially, the mirror mode grows at a slightly faster rate when compared with the ion-cyclotron mode, but the subsequent evolution shows that the ion-cyclotron mode saturates at a much larger intensity. Simultaneously, large perpendicular temperature associated with the anisotropic ions is substantially reduced as the free energy is taken away by the unstable waves, while the parallel temperature increases so as to reduce the anisotropy. The initially isotropic ions, on the other hand, are also heated in the direction perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field vector.

• OSTI ID: 6995904
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 4:11; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700330 -- Plasma Kinetics
Transport
& Impurities-- (1992-)
700340* -- Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities-- (1992-)
ALFVEN WAVES
ANISOTROPY
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EQUATIONS
FUNCTIONS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INSTABILITY
ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
ION TEMPERATURE
KINETIC EQUATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
RESONANCE
TURBULENCE