Ionization formation of plasma inhomogeneity by the near-zone field of a magnetic-type source in a magnetized plasma

An investigations is made of the steady-state structure of a plasma inhomogeneity arising as a result of high-frequency heating and additional ionization of a background magnetized plasma by the near-zone field of a magnetic-type source (ring electric current). It is assumed that the source axis is parallel to an external magnetic field; the source frequency belongs in the low hybrid band. The main attention is focused on the particular case (important for possible applications) when the characteristic longitudinal and transverse scales of density distribution considerably exceed the corresponding scales of distribution of the electron temperature and of the source field. Simplified equations for the near-zone field of the source, the electron temperature, and the plasma density are written for this particular case. Based on the numerical solution of these equations, steady-state distributions of plasma parameters in the formed plasma inhomogeneity are found. It is demonstrated that a plasma inhomogeneity proves to be markedly extended along the external magnetic field. It is found that, for the values of the source current that are attainable under the conditions of active ionospheric and model laboratory experiments, the maximum plasma density in a nonuniform plasma may appreciably exceed the background value.     

Guiding of an electromagnetic pulse in a plasma immersed in combined wiggler and axial magnetic fields

We present a new plasma-based method of guiding an electromagnetic pulse. The scheme consists of an inhomogeneous magnetic field and a uniform density plasma, in contrast to existing schemes that rely on transverse plasma density gradients but need not be magnetized. The refractive index of a magnetized plasma depends on the strength and direction of the magnetic field as well as the plasma density. A guiding channel is formed by using field inhomogeneity to generate the desired transverse profile of the index of refraction. The concept is analyzed with an envelope equation and, for the specific example of a wiggler magnetic field, with a two-dimension particle-in-cell simulation. A simplified model of this scheme as producing a magnetic wall in analogy to metallic waveguides is presented, for which corresponding approximate relations for the guided mode axial wavelength and radius are derived as functions of the plasma and magnetic field parameter. These are seen to be in good agreement with particle-in-cell simulation results. Since the desired inhomogeneity of the refractive index can be made easily when the electromagnetic wave frequency is close to the cyclotron frequency, this guiding scheme is most readily applied in the microwave regime.     

On the electron energy distribution in the gas discharge positive column: Langmuir paradox

The results of calculations of electron drift characteristics in a dc spatially inhomogeneous periodic electric field are presented. It is shown that the effect of field inhomogeneities on the drift velocity and the average electron energy is insignificant under typical conditions of experiments with gas-discharge plasma at low gas pressures. However, the intensity of the processes of excitation, ionization, and plasma spatial distribution are strongly affected by the inhomogeneity (variance) and field variation behavior. It is shown that the electric field inhomogeneity in the gas discharge positive column leads to maxwellization of the electron energy distribution function.     

Laboratory modeling of physical processes in the ionosphere modified by powerful radio emission

We present the results of the laboratory modeling of physical processes occurring in the ionosphere during active experiments on the ionospheric modificaton by powerful radio emission. The process of nonuniform thermo-diffusion of a magnetoplasma due to local electron heating is studied under the conditions modeling the ionospheric F layer. It is revealed by direct measurements that thermo-diffusion and diffusion are accompanied by excitation of macroscopic eddy currents. In this case, electrons and ions diffuse along and across the magnetic field, respectively, and the eddy current is carried by particles of the background plasma. As a result, a magnetic-field-aligned density depletion rapidly forms in the plasma. The possibility of trapping and guided propagation of Langmuir waves in such a plasma inhomogeneity is demonstrated. Conditions are found under which the wave trapping and the formation of the inhomogeneity occur in a self-consistent regime, i.e., Langmuir waves are trapped in a small-scale inhomogeneity which, in turn, is formed due to local plasma heating by the field of the trapped waves. Such nonlinear wave trapping takes place only above a certain threshold, which significantly increases in the vicinity of gyroharmonics. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 8, pp. 731–746, August 2007.     

螺旋剪切磁场中等离子体的电磁波方程

本文用线性代数方法给出了周期性直柱近似下，有螺旋剪切磁场和径向非均性存在的托卡马克等离子体中，电磁波方程在柱坐标系下的展开式。由此带来的介电张量修正用矩阵变换实现。此种方法适用于研究各种频段上的加热波在等离子体中激发的电场矢量。     

Dispersion of kinetic Alfvén wave in a rotating plasma with an inhomogeneous magnetic field

The effects of inhomogeneity of a magnetic field on the dispersion of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) in a rotating plasma is investigated under the framework of magnetohydrodynamic theory. The magnetic field should be in a non‐uniform state if the centrifugal force is balanced only by the magnetic pressure. The inhomogeneity of the magnetic field increases the frequency of KAW and drives it into an unstable state. The growth rate of KAW varies non‐monotonously with respect to the distance. The KAW will be excited in a certain region with maximum growth rate. And the growth rate of KAW in the region near and far from the centre of rotation approaches zero. These results will be helpful in understanding the properties of KAWs in rotating astrophysical and laboratory plasmas.     

Dispersion Relations for Drift-Alfvén and Drift-Acoustic Waves in Arbitrary Directions

A dispersion equation for low-frequency waves in a fully ionized plasma with slowly varying density and magnetic field is derived from the two-fluid equations. The solutions are discussed in several limiting cases. Phase-velocity and refractive index surfaces are presented for the fast and slow magneto-acoustic waves and for the shear-Alfvén wave, influenced by the inhomogeneity drifts.     

On a Destabilizing Effect of Plasma Inhomogeneity on the Two-Plasmon Decay Instability

It has been shown that plasma inhomogeneity reduces the threshold of the parametric instability of two-plasmon decay and, in particular, allows the excitation of plasmons with the same frequency by a spatially uniform pump field.     

Dielectric tensor elements for the description of waves in rotating inhomogeneous magnetized plasma spheroids

The dielectric permittivity tensor elements of a rotating cold collisionless plasma spheroid in an external magnetic field with toroidal and axial components are obtained. The effects of inhomogeneity in the densities of charged particles and the initial toroidal velocity on the dielectric permittivity tensor and field equations are investigated. The field components in terms of their toroidal components are calculated and it is shown that the toroidal components of the electric and magnetic fields are coupled by two differential equations. The influence of thermal and collisional effects on the dielectric tensor and field equations in the rotating plasma spheroid are also investigated. In the limiting spherical case, the dielectric tensor of a stationary magnetized collisionless cold plasma sphere is presented.     

等离子体界面附近激光场中电子的运动

分析了在等离子体中两个不同密度区的交界面附近激光场中电子的运动.导出了电子横向动量与纵向动量的相互关系的一般方程.分析发现,介质的非均匀性导致电子运动特性的重要改变.在一定条件下,这种非均匀性有利于注入电子获得加速.     

Spontaneous electromagnetic emission from a strongly localized plasma flow

Laboratory observations of electromagnetic ion-cyclotron waves generated by a localized transverse dc electric field are reported. Experiments indicate that these waves result from a strong E×B flow inhomogeneity in a mildly collisional plasma with subcritical magnetic field-aligned current. The wave amplitude scales with the magnitude of the applied radial dc electric field. The electromagnetic signatures become stronger with increasing plasma β, and the radial extent of the power is larger than that of the electrostatic counterpart. Near-Earth space weather implications of the results are discussed.     

The influence of striction density perturbations on the excitation of plasma oscillations inside thermal inhomogeneities of plasma

In this paper, we continue our studies begun in [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved., Radiofiz.,41, No. 3, 270 (1998)].Calculating the coefficients and nonlinear phase shift in the equation for plasma-wave intensity introduced in the eralier paper, we have solved the problem of the influence of striction perturbations of the plasma density on the excitation of shortwave plasma oscillations by an electromagnetic wave; the above oscillations are captured in a volume of inhomogeneities, which are extended along the magnetic field and have reduced electron density that crosses the level of the upper-hybrid resonance. The dissipative processes of absorption and emission of plasma waves beyond the inhomogeneity are assumed to be weak. The variation of excitation and reflection of plasma waves from the resonance level due to deformation of the plasma- density profile is described. The band of effective generation of eigenmodes of captured oscillations as a function of the total wave-phase increment in an inhomogeneity is determined. The effect of penetration of the field of a high-power plasma wave into the non-transmittance region as a result of the striction expulsion of plasma is calculated. With allowance for the nonlinear phenomena in question, we estimated the heating of artificial inhomogeneities of thermal origin as a result of collisional absorption of the plasma oscillations excited in a volume of inhomogeneities under the action of a high-power radio wave. The materials of this paper were reported at the IIIrd International School on Space Plasma Physics. Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radio Wave Propagation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk, Moscow Region, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 41, No. 10, pp. 1226–1247, October 1998.     

Simulation of a satellite antenna tuned by a plasma load

We have investigated experimentally and theoretically the effect of a RF discharge excited in a rarefied gas by the antenna field on the input and radiation characteristics of the antenna. Under the conditions of our experiments the discharge plasma is localized near the end of a vibrator antenna, and the parameters of this plasma inhomogeneity can be changed by varying the pressure of the gas, the frequency of the RF signal, and the power fed to the antenna. The excitation of the RF discharge led to the modification of the antenna near field and, as a result, to changes of its electrodynamic characteristics.Nizhnii Novgorod State University. Tranlated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 37, No. 6, pp. 707–714, June, 1994.     

Stochastic behaviour in presence of an electrostatic wave due to the crossing of multiple cyclotron resonances in an inhomogeneous magnetic field

The criterion for the occurence of stochastic behaviour of particle trajectories in the field of an electrostatic wave is obtained taking into account the longitudinal inhomogeneity of the ambient magnetic field. The origin of the stochasticity is explained. The optimum conditions for particle heating are obtained at a wave amplitude below the threshold of stochasticity in a homogeneous plasma.     

Modeling of the electric-field distribution of plasma photonic crystals having inhomogeneity in the materials

We study the electric-field distributions in binary 1D-PPCs in the presence of inhomogeneity in the materials of unit cells. Here we consider four 1D-PPC structures: the first two structures have linear and exponential graded dielectric materials with a homogeneous plasma, and the other two structures have homogeneous dielectric material with linear and exponential density profiles of the plasma. Matching the electric fields and their derivatives on the dielectric-plasma interface, we obtain the required field-distribution relations. We observe that the amplitude of electric field changes in the presence of inhomogeneity in the materials, and the angle of incidence of electromagnetic waves highly affects the electric-field distributions.     

Temperature and current density distributions at spark plasma sintering of inhomogeneous samples

We analyze the effect of inhomogeneity in the properties of a material on the conditions of obtaining thermoelectrics by spark plasma sintering. Inclusions localized and distributed over the volume of materials with different values of electric and thermal conductivities are considered. It is found that the presence of macroscopic inhomogeneities changes the current density distribution in the cross section of the sample being sintered. It is shown that inhomogeneity in the properties of materials during sintering do not substantially affect the temperature field in the sample at the macroscopic level, but change the current density distribution profile. The ranges of variation of the current density in the regions with inhomogeneous electric and thermal conductivities are determined for various types of macroscopically inhomogeneous inclusions and their distribution. The applicability of various models for describing spark plasma sintering is considered.     

Transformation of waves and eigenoscillations of an inhomogeneous layer of hot plasma

On the case of a plasma layer we show that in a hot plasma with the inhomogeneity of density across the magnetic field there exist eigenmodes for frequencies of hybrid resonance that are combinations of two kinds of waves: The potential long waves of cold plasma and the short-wave Bernstein modes. Their coupling is due to transformation in the region of the hybrid resonance. These eigenmodes can also be travelling waves with energy transmitted in one direction by a long wave and in the opposite one by a short wave. Different types of eigenmodes and corresponding quantization conditions are obtained.     

One-dimensional fluid model of ECR discharge with inhomogeneityeffects of external magnetic field

A one-dimensional fluid model of the microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge, which includes the inhomogeneity effects of the external magnetic field, is developed. We use fluid equations which are obtained from the one-dimensional Bolzmann equation expressed in terms of magnetic moment and parallel velocity. We model the plasma and sheath separately, and appropriate plasma-sheath boundary conditions are utilized. Microwave is represented by an energy flow, and treated by a ray tracing technique. For the argon discharge, we obtain various quantities such as the axial profiles of plasma density, electron temperature, electrostatic potential, fluid velocity, and microwave power deposition. The results of simulation compare well with the experimental observation of the mirror field effects on the plasma parameters     

Plasma resonance guiding of surface magnetoplasmons by thin semiconductor films

Theoretical investigation on surface magnetoplasmons maintained by the plasma resonance in a thin (comparing to the wavelength) semiconducting film placed on a perfectly conducting substrate is presented. Dispersion characteristics and nonreciprocal behaviour of surface magnetoplasmons are studied for arbitrary orientation of externally applied magnetostatic field and for various profiles of film inhomogeneity.     

Effect of gravity on formation conditions of certain instabilities in the ionospheric F region

We consider the behavior of sinusoidal plasma instabilities in the ionospheric F region. An analysis is performed taking account of the contribution of gravity, under conditions of possible formation of instabilities which are associated with the inhomogeneous nature of the plasma motion. Instability is due to plasma inhomogeneity convergence in the presence of the geomagnetic field. The behavior of inhomogeneities of various scales is determined at different times.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 21, No. 11, pp. 1572–1581, November, 1978.