Pulsed currents carried by whistlers. V. Detailed new results of magnetic antenna excitation
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1547 (United States)
A low frequency, oblique whistler wave packet is excited from a single current pulse applied to a magnetic loop antenna. The magnetic field is mapped in three dimensions. The dominant angle of radiation is determined by the antenna dimensions, not by the resonance cone. Topological properties of the inductive and space charge electric fields and space charge density confirm an earlier physical model. Transverse currents are dominated by Hall currents, while no net current flows in the parallel direction. Electron-ion collisions damp both the energy and the helicity of the wave packet. Landau damping is negligible. The radiation resistance of the loop is a few tenths of an Ohm for the observed frequency range. The loop injects zero net helicity. Rather, oppositely traveling wave packets carry equal amounts of opposite signed helicity. {copyright} {ital 1995} {ital American} {ital Institute} {ital of} {ital Physics}.
- OSTI ID:
- 165781
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 2, Issue 11; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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