Effect of Different Initial Conditions on the Evolution of the E X B Gradient Drift Instability in Ionospheric Plasma Clouds.
Abstract
Both small and large amplitude monochromatic (one wave) and random (many waves) initial perturbations have been used to seed initially slablike plasma clouds with different magnetic field line integrated Pedersen conductivity gradient scale lengths L = 4, 6, 10 km perpendicular to the magnetic field. Independent of the initial conditions used, all of the models studied become similar in the nonlinear late time regime both in real (x, y) space and in Fourier (k sub x, k sub y) space where x and y define the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. In the nonlinear regime, evidence is presented for an outer scale turnover in the one-dimensional plasma cloud conductivity spatial power spectra computed in a direction (y) perpendicular to the E X B drift (x) of the plasma cloud. In addition, under the different initial conditions used, the spatial power spectra in the nonlinear regime are shown to be anisotropic in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field with most of the spectral power concentrated along and near the linearly most unstable y-direction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 14, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA098331
Entities
People
- Michael J. Keskinen
- Sidney L. Ossakow
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory