Toward a Nonlinear Theory of an Interaction of a Relativistic Beam with Plasma,
Abstract
The dynamics of the development of instability appearing during the interaction of a relativistic uniform beam of electrons with a plasma is investigated from the initial phase through the saturating phase and the formation of a stationary spectrum of oscillations. It is assumed that the plasma is in strong magnetic field parallel to the beam direction and that the beam density is much smaller than the plasma density. The excited waves are considered to be one-dimensional and moving parallel to the beam. The kinetic equation and field equations are analyzed for several degrees of nonlinearity. It is shown that beam acceleration occurs at the expense of increasing the thermal spread of the beam and the kinetic and potential energy of the induced oscillations. For larger values of beam velocities, the instability leads to a second quasilinear phase. At lower values, the beam remains uniform. The analysis also brings out the existence of a strong oscillating additive term in such beam characteristics as density and momentum. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 18, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0731894
Entities
People
- V. D. Shapiro
- Ya. B. Fainberg
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center