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Induced photon decay and photon-beam-induced Langmuir turbulence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

D. B. Melrose
D. B. Melrose
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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Abstract

A pair of quasi-linear-like equations is derived to describe the effect of three-wave interactions between high-frequency photons and Langmuir waves in a differential approximation. Induced photon decay leads to terms analogous to those for spontaneous emission, but involving the square of the photon occupation number. The effect on the Langmuir waves is evaluated for axisymmetric photons. The effect on the photons is shown to be similar to but weaker than induced Compton scattering by thermal electrons. The absorption coefficient for the Langmuir waves is evaluated for an axisymmetric distribution of photons, and used to discuss a photon-beam-induced instability. Possible astrophysical applications to solar ‘spike’ bursts, the eclipse of a radio pulsar and the variable low-frequency emission from some active galactic nuclei are discussed briefly, and it is concluded that the process can account for the observed properties of the eclipse of PSR 1957 + 20.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 51 , Issue 1 , February 1994 , pp. 13 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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