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Ion-acoustic wave instability driven by drifting electrons in a generalized Lorentzian distribution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

Zhaoyue Meng ,
Richard M. Thorne  and
Danny Summers
Zhaoyue Meng
Affiliation:
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024–1565, U.S.A.
Richard M. Thorne
Affiliation:
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024–1565, U.S.A.
Danny Summers
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, CanadaA1C 5S7
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Abstract

A generalized Lorentzian (kappa) particle distribution function is useful for modelling plasma distributions with a high-energy tail that typically occur in space. The modified plasma dispersion function is employed to study the instability of ion-acoustic waves driven by electron drift in a hot isotropic unmagnetized plasma modelled by a kappa distribution. The real and imaginary parts of the wave frequency ω0 + ιγ are obtained as functions of the normalized wavenumber kλD, where λD is the electron Debye length. Marginal stability conditions for instability are obtained for different ion-to-electron temperature ratios. The results for a kappa distribution are compared with the classical results for a Maxwellian. In all cases studied the ion-acoustic waves are strongly damped at short wavelengths, kλD ≫ 1, but they can be destabilized at long wavelengths. The instability for both the kappa and Maxwellian distributions can be quenched by increasing the ion-electron temperature ratio Ti/Te. However, both the marginally unstable electron drift velocities and the growth rates of unstable waves can differ significantly between a generalized Lorentzian and a Maxwellian plasma; these differences are also influenced by the value of Ti/Te.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , June 1992 , pp. 445 - 464
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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