Parametric excitation of ion density fluctuations in the relativistic beam-plasma interaction

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.861550· OSTI ID:7194682

Schamel, H; Lee, Y C; Morales, G J

When a weak and cold relativistic electron beam interacts with a dense plasma, it generates a nearly monochromatic wave of high intensity which triggers the growth of parametric instabilities. The present work investigates this process by using a hybrid technique in which the fully relativistic motion of the beam particles is treated numerically, while the behavior of the background plasma and the parametrically excited waves is treated analytically through appropriate linear dielectric functions. It is found that the self-consistent excitation of large ion density fluctuations leads to the decoupling of the beam from the background plasma, hence limiting the amount of energy that can be extracted from the beam. By adjusting the various parameters of the problem it is found that up to 23% of the initial beam energy can be transferred to the electrostatic waves. The large ion fluctuations responsible for decoupling the beam correspond to purely growing modes which exhibit secular growth in time. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Physics Department, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024
• OSTI ID: 7194682
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 19:6; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
BEAMS
ELECTRON BEAMS
FLUCTUATIONS
INSTABILITY
ION DENSITY
LEPTON BEAMS
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA WAVES
VARIATIONS