Overstability of plasma slow electron holes

Sufficient conditions are found on the ion velocity distribution $f_i$ and potential amplitude for stability of steady electron holes moving at slow speeds, coinciding with the bulk of $f_i$. Fully establishing stability requires calculation of the ion response to shift potential perturbations havin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of plasma physics 2022-02, Vol.88 (1), Article 555880101
Main Author: Hutchinson, I.H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Approximation
Electrons
Equilibrium
Holes (electron deficiencies)
Ion velocity
Magnetic fields
Mathematical analysis
Orbits
Perturbation
Plasma physics
Premio Ferraro
Stability
Velocity
Velocity distribution
Wavelengths
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Summary:Sufficient conditions are found on the ion velocity distribution $f_i$ and potential amplitude for stability of steady electron holes moving at slow speeds, coinciding with the bulk of $f_i$. Fully establishing stability requires calculation of the ion response to shift potential perturbations having an entire range of oscillatory frequencies, because under some conditions real frequencies intermediate between the ion and electron responses prove to be unstable even when the extremes are not. The mechanism of this overstability is explained and calculated in detail. Electron holes of peak potential $\psi$ less than approximately 0.01 times the background temperature ($\psi \lesssim 0.01T_0/e$) avoid the oscillatory instability entirely. For them, the necessary condition that there be a local minimum in $f_i$ in which the hole resides is also sufficient, unless the magnetic field $B$ is low enough to permit the transverse instability having finite wavenumber $k$ perpendicular to $B$.
ISSN:0022-3778
1469-7807
DOI:10.1017/S0022377822000149