Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T04:20:56.571Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nonlinear development and Fourier analysis of the whistler mode instability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

S. Cuperman
Affiliation:
CIRES, University of Colorado and Space Environment Laboratory, NOAA-ERL, Boulder, Colorade
Y. Salu
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel

Abstract

The results of the nonlinear computer investigationof the whistler mode instability with the aid of particle-in-cell simulation methods are presented. The electron plasma considered is hot (kT = 20 keV), anisothermal (T/T ≃ 2) and embedded in a static magnetic field such that β = 0.8. A detailed Fourier analysis of the electromagnetic activity developed under the above stated conditions is carried out: the waves are shown to be electron-like and excellent agreement with the linear stability analysis for the first stages of evolution is found. The feed-back effect of the waves on the particles is shown to result in a continuous decrease of the thermal anisotropy ratio T/T corresponding changes in the Fourier spectra of the electromagnetic activity are observed; additional changes in the wave spectrum are introduced by the interaction between various instability modes. At the end of the run (ωpt ⋍600), the state of the system resembles a quasi-stable equilibrium, in which the electromagnetic energy achieves its maximum value: in this state, unlike the equilibrium one usually considered in the linear stability analysis, a thermally anisotropic plasma with T/T⋍1·35 appears to be quasi-stable against the whistler mode instability. This last result is relevant for the geostationary magnetospheric conditions (in the equatorial region) where quasi-stationary states with T/T about 1·3 are observed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Boris, J. P. 1970 Proc. 4th Conf. on Numerical Simulation of Plasmas, p. 3. Washington, D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory.Google Scholar
Cuperman, S. & Salu, Y. 1972 Plasma Physics, 15, 107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davidson, R. C. 1972 Methods in Nonlinear Plasma Theory. Academic.Google Scholar
Fried, B. D. & Conte, S. D. 1961 The Plasma Dispersion Function. Academic.Google Scholar
Haber, I., Wagner, C. E., Boris, J. P. & Dawson, J. M. 1970 Proc. 4th Conf. on Numerical Stimulation of Plasma, p. 126. Washington, D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory.Google Scholar
Hamasaki, S. & Krall, N. A. 1973 Phys. Fluids. (To be published.)Google Scholar
Ikegami, T., Ikezi, H., Kanamura, T., Momota, H., Takayama, K. & Terashima, Y. 1969 Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, vol. 2, p. 423. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency.Google Scholar
Jacquinot, J., Leloup, C., Poffé, J. P., De, Prétis M., Waelbroek, F., Evrard, P. & Ripault, J. 1969 Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion, Research vol. 2, p. 347. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency.Google Scholar
Kennel, C. F. & Petschek, H. E. 1966 J. Geophys. Res. 71, 1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Landau, R. W. & Cuperman, S. 1973 J. Plasma Phys. (To be published.)Google Scholar
Lazar, N. H. & Blanken, R. A. 1970 Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 15, 1461.Google Scholar
Montgomery, D. C. & Tidman, D. A. 1964 Plasma Kinetic Theory. McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Morse, R. L. & Nielson, C. W. 1971 Phys. Fluids, 14, 840.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ossakow, S. L., Haber, I. & Ott, E. 1972 Phys. Fluids, 15, 1540.Google Scholar
Russell, C. T. & Holzer, B. E. 1970 Particles and Fields in the Magnetosphere (ed. MeCormac, B. M.), p. 195. Reidel.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scharer, J. E. & Trivelpiece, A. W. 1967 Phys. Fluids, 10, 591.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwartz, M. J. 1969 Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Sudan, R. N. 1963 Phys. Fluids, 6, 57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sudan, R. N. 1965 Phys. Fluids, 8, 152.Google Scholar
Williams, J. D. 1970 Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ed. Dyer, E. R.), part 3, p. 66.Google Scholar