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Title: Spiky turbulence generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent

Abstract

The excitation of a new type of plasma turbulence consisting of a collection of neighboring localized electric fields of high intensity is investigated. The individual localized fields that constitute the spiky turbulence oscillate at frequencies close to the electron plasma frequency, and their localization is attributed to wave-trapping inside the self-consistent density cavities generated by the total ponderomotive force. Unlike previous investigations of this type of nonlinearity, which have dealt almost exclusively with the effects triggered by electromagnetic radiation, the present work studies the turbulence which is generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent. This type of pump wave may arise naturally in beam-plasma experiments or in other situations which lead to a finite amplification region. The spiky turbulence is found to evolve in the nonlinear regime out of the linear parametric instabilities that can be excited by such a pump wave. A detailed linear analysis of the relevant linear instabilities is presented, and the results are found to be in good agreement with the direct numerical solution of the model equations of the problem. The nonlinear results of the present calculation show excellent agreement with the recent beam-plasma experiment of Wong and Quon in which themore » generation of spiky turbulence has been positively identified. (AIP)« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Physics Department, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024
OSTI Identifier:
7354383
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Phys. Fluids; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 19:5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; PLASMA WAVES; TURBULENCE; ELECTRIC FIELDS; PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES; PLASMA; WAVE PROPAGATION; INSTABILITY; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES; 700107* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Instabilities

Citation Formats

Morales, G J, and Lee, Y C. Spiky turbulence generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent. United States: N. p., 1976. Web. doi:10.1063/1.861529.
Morales, G J, & Lee, Y C. Spiky turbulence generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.861529
Morales, G J, and Lee, Y C. 1976. "Spiky turbulence generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.861529.
@article{osti_7354383,
title = {Spiky turbulence generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent},
author = {Morales, G J and Lee, Y C},
abstractNote = {The excitation of a new type of plasma turbulence consisting of a collection of neighboring localized electric fields of high intensity is investigated. The individual localized fields that constitute the spiky turbulence oscillate at frequencies close to the electron plasma frequency, and their localization is attributed to wave-trapping inside the self-consistent density cavities generated by the total ponderomotive force. Unlike previous investigations of this type of nonlinearity, which have dealt almost exclusively with the effects triggered by electromagnetic radiation, the present work studies the turbulence which is generated by a propagating electrostatic wave of finite spatial extent. This type of pump wave may arise naturally in beam-plasma experiments or in other situations which lead to a finite amplification region. The spiky turbulence is found to evolve in the nonlinear regime out of the linear parametric instabilities that can be excited by such a pump wave. A detailed linear analysis of the relevant linear instabilities is presented, and the results are found to be in good agreement with the direct numerical solution of the model equations of the problem. The nonlinear results of the present calculation show excellent agreement with the recent beam-plasma experiment of Wong and Quon in which the generation of spiky turbulence has been positively identified. (AIP)},
doi = {10.1063/1.861529},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7354383}, journal = {Phys. Fluids; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 19:5,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1976},
month = {Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1976}
}