ISSN:
1089-7666
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
The behavior of strong magnetosonic waves propagating perpendicular to a static field B0 is investigated within the frequency range ωci〈ω〈ωlh; ωci,ω, and ωlh are, respectively, the ion cyclotron, the pump wave, and the lower-hybrid frequencies. A one-dimensional, relativistic, fully electromagnetic, particle simulation code (for both electrons and ions) is used, where self-consistent effects are totally included. During the buildup phase, a longitudinal electric field develops and attains a nonlinear level which strongly distorts its shape so that many harmonics are produced. This is followed shortly by ion trapping, which simultaneously enhances the wave overtaking (the wave crests overtaking the wave troughs) and produced a strong wave damping. A very large ion acceleration accompanied by a strong heating (mainly nonstochastic) perpendicular to B0 results; the electrons exhibit only poor heating associated with their adiabatic compression. The dynamics of both particle species, the consequences of the wave–particle energy transfer and the particle viscosities, are studied in detail. Competitive and self-consistent effects such as space-charge effects, wave overtaking, ion trapping, and wave damping are investigated and compared with previous models; the mechanisms by which these various phenomena interact on each other are analyzed. Characteristics of nonstochastic and stochastic ion heating are also discussed. Our computations show that if sufficient intensity is reached, one is not constrained to use lower-hybrid waves or cyclotron harmonic waves to heat a plasma efficiently and that any frequency below ωlh can be used.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.865939
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