skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Generation of longitudinal current by a transverse electromagnetic field in classical and quantum plasmas

Journal Article · · Plasma Physics Reports
 [1]
  1. Moscow State Regional University (Russian Federation)

A distribution function for collisionless plasma is derived from the Vlasov kinetic equation in the quadratic approximation with respect to the electromagnetic field. Formulas for calculation of the electric current at an arbitrary temperature (arbitrary degree of degeneration of the electron gas) are deduced. The case of small wavenumbers is considered. It is shown that nonlinearity leads to the generation of an electric current directed along the wave vector. This longitudinal current is orthogonal to the classical transverse current, well known in the linear theory. A distribution function for collisionless quantum plasma is derived from the kinetic equation with the Wigner integral in the quadratic approximation with respect to the vector potential. Formulas for calculation of the electric current at an arbitrary temperature are deduced. The case of small wavenumbers is considered. It is shown that, at small values of the wavenumber, the value of the longitudinal current for quantum plasma coincides with that for classical plasma. The dimensionless currents in quantum and classical plasmas are compared graphically.

OSTI ID:
22472112
Journal Information:
Plasma Physics Reports, Vol. 41, Issue 9; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2015 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-780X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English