Nonlinear Analysis of Plasma Instability Excited by the Auroral Electrojet.

Abstract

The two-fluid (electron and ion) continuity and momentum equations are expanded in terms of the amplitudes of the fluctuations, and the nonlinear dispersion relation is derived. From this expression the threshold condition (when the growth rate = 0) as well as the condition for instability (when the growth rate < 0) are obtained. In addition, the order of magnitude of the density fluctuations is estimated which agrees with that observed by Booker. It is shown that these results can be obtained only with the nonlinear theory. Finally, it is shown that as a result of electric field measurements by Kelley and Mozer our theory predicts that the wave propagation vector of the irregularities must have a small, but nonvanishing, component parallel to the east-west direction. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 24, 1978
Accession Number
ADA053647

Entities

People

  • E. G. Fontheim
  • K. S. Hwang
  • R. S. B. Ong

Organizations

  • University of Michigan

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Charged Particles
  • Current Density
  • Dispersion Relations
  • Electric Fields
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Frequency
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Michigan
  • Nonlinear Analysis
  • Particles
  • Phase Velocity
  • Physics
  • Plasma Instabilities
  • United States
  • Wave Propagation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics