Generation of wakefields by whistlers in spin quantum magnetoplasmas

Journal Article · Wed Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3527995· OSTI ID:21532074

Misra, A P; Brodin, G; Marklund, M ^[1]; Shukla, P K ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Umeaa University, SE-901 87 Umeaa (Sweden)

The excitation of electrostatic wakefields in a magnetized spin quantum plasma by the classical and the spin-induced ponderomotive force (CPF and SPF, respectively) due to whistler waves is reported. The nonlinear dynamics of the whistlers and the wakefields is shown to be governed by a coupled set of nonlinear Schroedinger and driven Boussinesq-like equations. It is found that the quantum force associated with the Bohm potential introduces two characteristic length scales, which lead to the excitation of multiple wakefields in a strongly magnetized dense plasma (with a typical magnetic field strength B{sub 0} or approx. 10{sup 9} T and particle density n{sub 0} > or approx. 10{sup 36} m{sup -3}), where the SPF strongly dominates over the CPF. In other regimes, namely, B{sub 0} < or approx. 10{sup 8} T and n{sub 0} < or approx. 10{sup 35} m{sup -3}, where the SPF is comparable to the CPF, a plasma wakefield can also be excited self-consistently with one characteristic length scale. Numerical results reveal that the wakefield amplitude is enhanced by the quantum tunneling effect; however, it is lowered by the external magnetic field. Under appropriate conditions, the wakefields can maintain high coherence over multiple plasma wavelengths and thereby accelerate electrons to extremely high energies. The results could be useful for particle acceleration at short scales, i.e., at nanometer and micrometer scales, in magnetized dense plasmas where the driver is the whistler wave instead of a laser or a particle beam.

• OSTI ID: 21532074
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 17, Issue 12; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3527995; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRON PLASMA WAVES
EXCITATION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PONDEROMOTIVE FORCE
QUANTUM PLASMA
SCHROEDINGER EQUATION
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS
WHISTLERS
ACCELERATORS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EQUATIONS
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
NOISE
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PLASMA
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
WAVE EQUATIONS