Space-charge effects in the current-filamentation or Weibel instability

We consider how an unmagnetized plasma responds to an incoming flux of energetic electrons. We assume a return current is present and allow for the incoming electrons to have a different transverse temperature than the return current. To analyze this configuration we present a nonrelativistic theory...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2006-03, Vol.96 (10), p.105002-105002, Article 105002
Main Authors: Tzoufras, M, Ren, C, Tsung, F S, Tonge, J W, Mori, W B, Fiore, M, Fonseca, R A, Silva, L O
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ION TEMPERATURE
NEUTRAL CURRENTS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
SPACE CHARGE
TAIL ELECTRONS
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Summary:We consider how an unmagnetized plasma responds to an incoming flux of energetic electrons. We assume a return current is present and allow for the incoming electrons to have a different transverse temperature than the return current. To analyze this configuration we present a nonrelativistic theory of the current-filamentation or Weibel instability for rigorously current-neutral and nonseparable distribution functions, f(0)(p(x), p(y), p(z)) is not equal to f(x)(p(x))f(y)(p(y))f(z)(p(z)). We find that such distribution functions lead to lower growth rates because of space-charge forces that arise when the forward-going electrons pinch to a lesser degree than the colder, backward-flowing electrons. We verify the growth rate, range of unstable wave numbers, and the formation of the density filaments using particle-in-cell simulations.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.96.105002