Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2009
This paper presents an investigation of the excitation of an ion-acoustic wave in a collisionless hot magnetoplasma by two whistlers. On account of the interaction of the two whistlers, of frequencies ω1 and ω2, ponderomotive force at frequency △ ω(= ω1 – ω2) leads to the generation of an ion-acoustic wave. When the two whistlers have initially Gaussian intensity distributions, a d.c. component of the ponderomotive force leads to the redistribution of the background electron/ion density, and cross-focusing of the whistlers occurs. The power of the generated ion-acoustic wave, being dependent on the background ion density and powers of the whistlers, is further modified. The ion-acoustic wave power also changes drastically with the strength of the static magnetic field.