Plasma-Maser Instability of Bernstein Mode in Presence of Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence

A theoretical study is made on the amplification mechanism of electrostatic Bernstein mode wave in presence of kinetic Alfven wave turbulence in a magnetized plasma on the basis of plasma-maser interaction. It is shown that a test high frequency electrostativ Bernstein mode wave is unstable in the presence of low frequency kinetic Alfven wave turbulence. The growth rate of the Bernstein wave vanishes only in an unmagnetized plasma. Because of the universal existence of the kinetic Alfven waves in large scale plasmas, the results have potential importance in space and astrophysical radiation processes.     

动力学阿尔文波及其在太阳和空间等离子体中的应用

动力学阿尔文波是短波长的色散阿尔文波,其色散主要是由于垂直波长接近离子回旋半径或电子惯性长度等微观粒子动力学特征尺度而引起的。在频率远低于离子回旋频率的低频条件下,其平行波长通常仍然远大于离子惯性长度,这导致动力学阿尔文波在电磁偏振和传播方向上呈现显著各向异性的重要特性,并因此使其在磁等离子体的粒子能化现象和结构丝化现象中起重要作用。动力学阿尔文波早期于1970年代由Chen和Hasegawa研究聚变等离子体加热问题时首先提出。随后,在1980年代受到空间等离子体、特别是电离层-磁层耦合与极光现象研究的广泛关注。进入1990年代后,由于在空间卫星探测技术和地面等离子体实验技术的不断发展,特别是一些高分辨空间等离子体探测仪器和地面大型等离子体实验设备投入工作以来,在动力学阿尔文波的实验研究上取得了一系列突破性的重要进展。这不仅导致对动力学阿尔文波在磁等离子体动力学现象中重要作用的重新估价和正视,并再次激发了对动力学阿尔文波理论及其在实验室、空间和天体环境下各类等离子体活动现象中应用研究的广泛兴趣。自1990年代中期以来,我们在中国科学院紫金山天文台的研究小组一直致力于动力学阿尔文波及其在太阳和空间等离子体粒子能化现象中应用的研究。这篇综述性报告主要介绍了有关动力学阿尔文波非线性孤波理论及其在空间和太阳等离子体粒子能化现象中应用的研究进展,也是我们这十几年来在这一领域研究工作的一个总结。报告的第一章简要介绍动力学阿尔文波的一些主要特征及其在磁等离子体动力学现象中的重要作用。然后,在第二章中利用等离子体的双流体方程、结合有关的实验观测,系统介绍了动力学阿尔文波的色散、传播、偏振等基本特性和在一维孤波与二维涡旋等非线性结构理论方面的研究进展。接下来的第三、四、五章将聚焦在动力学阿尔文波的耗散机制及其在太阳和空间等离子体粒子能化现象中的应用研究上,分别包括：动力学阿尔文孤波的耗散结构及其在极光高能电子加速现象中的应用（第三章）;动力学阿尔文孤波中重离子的各向异性能化机制及其在延伸日冕中少量重离子反常加热现象中的应用（第四章）;以及动力学阿尔文波的反常耗散机制及其在日冕磁等离子体结构非均匀加热现象中的应用（第五章）。最后的第六章是一个简要的总结和几点进一步发展的展望。     

动力学阿尔文波及其在太阳和空间等离子体中的应用(英文)

动力学阿尔文波是短波长的色散阿尔文波,其色散主要是由于垂直波长接近离子回旋半径或电子惯性长度等微观粒子动力学特征尺度而引起的。在频率远低于离子回旋频率的低频条件下,其平行波长通常仍然远大于离子惯性长度,这导致动力学阿尔文波在电磁偏振和传播方向上呈现显著各向异性的重要特性,并因此使其在磁等离子体的粒子能化现象和结构丝化现象中起重要作用。动力学阿尔文波早期于1970年代由Chen和Hasegawa研究聚变等离子体加热问题时首先提出。随后,在1980年代受到空间等离子体、特别是电离层-磁层耦合与极光现象研究的广泛关注。进入1990年代后,由于在空间卫星探测技术和地面等离子体实验技术的不断发展,特别是一些高分辨空间等离子体探测仪器和地面大型等离子体实验设备投入工作以来,在动力学阿尔文波的实验研究上取得了一系列突破性的重要进展。这不仅导致对动力学阿尔文波在磁等离子体动力学现象中重要作用的重新估价和正视,并再次激发了对动力学阿尔文波理论及其在实验室、空间和天体环境下各类等离子体活动现象中应用研究的广泛兴趣。自1990年代中期以来,我们在中国科学院紫金山天文台的研究小组一直致力于动力学阿尔文波及其在太阳和空间等离子体粒子能化现象中应用的研究。这篇综述性报告主要介绍了有关动力学阿尔文波非线性孤波理论及其在空间和太阳等离子体粒子能化现象中应用的研究进展,也是我们这十几年来在这一领域研究工作的一个总结。报告的第0章简要介绍动力学阿尔文波的一些主要特征及其在磁等离子体动力学现象中的重要作用。然后,在第1章中利用等离子体的双流体方程、结合有关的实验观测,系统介绍了动力学阿尔文波的色散、传播、偏振等基本特性和在一维孤波与二维涡旋等非线性结构理论方面的研究进展。接下来的第2、3、4章将聚焦在动力学阿尔文波的耗散机制及其在太阳和空间等离子体粒子能化现象中的应用研究上,分别包括:动力学阿尔文孤波的耗散结构及其在极光高能电子加速现象中的应用(第2章);动力学阿尔文孤波中重离子的各向异性能化机制及其在延伸日冕中少量重离子反常加热现象中的应用(第3章);以及动力学阿尔文波的反常耗散机制及其在日冕磁等离子体结构非均匀加热现象中的应用(第4章)。最后的第5章是一个简要的总结和几点进一步发展的展望。     

Novel features of non-linear Raman instability in a laser plasma

The electron phase space evolution in a non-relativistic and homogeneous laser plasma generated by a nanosecond laser in a near infrared region in the presence of stimulated Raman scattering is investigated by a numerical simulation. The mechanism of electron acceleration in the potential wells of the plasma wave accompanying the Raman back-scattering is analyzed in a 1D Vlasov-Maxwell model. The dominant wave modes are both the backward and the forward propagating Raman waves, each accompanied by a daughter electrostatic wave. In addition to a strong interaction of plasma electrons with the primary electrostatic wave in the case of back-scattering, a cascading is observed consisting in a secondary scattering of the primary Raman back-scattered wave. This phenomenon reduces the Raman reflectivity and causes an acceleration of electrons against the direction of the heating laser beam. Moreover, the strong trapping in the primary electrostatic wave generated by the Raman back-scattering leads due to the trapped particle instability to a significant spectral broadening of the original plasma wave and a subsequent intermittent behaviour of the scattering process. The high phase velocity electrostatic daughter wave of the forward Raman scattering cannot trap the electrons directly, but there is an indication of non-resonant quasi-modes combined of this wave and of the simultaneously existing electrostatic daughter wave accompanying the Raman back-scattering. The transform method is used for a solution of the set of partial differential equations, which consists of the Vlasov equation and of the full set of Maxwell equations in a 1D approximation. A simplified Fokker-Planck collision term is added to overcome the numerical instabilities during the simulation. The model has relevance to a long scale plasma geometry, such as occurring in the indirect drive experiments near the light entrance holes of target hohlraum.     

Relativistic laser-matter interaction and relativistic laboratory astrophysics

The paper is devoted to the prospects of using the laser radiation interaction with plasmas in the laboratory relativistic astrophysics context. We discuss the dimensionless parameters characterizing the processes in the laser and astrophysical plasmas and emphisize a similarity between the laser and astrophysical plasmas in the ultrarelativistic energy limit. In particular, we address basic mechanisms of the charged particle acceleration, the collisionless shock wave and magnetic reconnection and vortex dynamics properties relevant to the problem of ultrarelativistic particle acceleration.     

Particle acceleration at astrophysical shocks: A theory of cosmic ray origin

The theory of first order Fermi acceleration at collisionless astrophysical shock fronts is reviewed. Observations suggest that shock waves in different astrophysical environments accelerate cosmic rays efficiently. In the first order process, high energy particles diffuse through Alfvén waves that scatter them and couple them to the background plasma. These particles gain energy, on the average, every time they cross the schock front and bounce off approaching scattering centers. Calculations demonstrate that the distribution function transmitted by a plane shock is roughly a power law in momentum with slope similar to that inferred in galactic cosmic ray sources. The generation of the scattering Alfvén waves by the streaming cosmic rays is described and it is argued that the wave amplitude is probably non-linear within sufficiently strong astrophysical shocks. Hydromagnetic scattering can operate on the thermal particles as well, possibly establishing the shock structure. This suggests a model of strong collisionless shocks in which high energy particles are inevitably produced very efficiently. Observable consequences of this model, together with its limitations and some alternatives, are described. Cosmic ray origin and astrophysical shocks can no longer be considered separately.     

Cross-scale nonlinear coupling and plasma energization by Alfvén waves

We present a new channel for the nonlocal transport of wave energy from the large (MHD) scales to the small (kinetic) scales generated by the resonant decay of MHD Alfvén waves into kinetic Alfvén waves. This process does not impose any restriction on the wave numbers or frequencies of initial MHD waves, which makes it superior compared to the mechanisms of spectral transport studied before. Because of dissipative properties of the nonlinearly driven kinetic Alfvén waves, the decay leads to plasma heating and particle acceleration, which is observed in a variety of space and astrophysical plasmas. Two examples in the solar corona and the terrestrial magnetosphere are briefly discussed.     

Ion heating with beating electrostatic waves

The nonlinear interaction of a magnetized ion with two beating electrostatic waves (BEW) whose frequencies differ by a cyclotron harmonic can lead, under some conditions [Phys. Rev. E 69, 046402 (2004)], to vigorous acceleration for an ion with arbitrarily low initial velocity. When applied to an ensemble of ions, this mechanism promises enhanced heating over single electrostatic wave (SEW) heating for comparable wave energy densities. The extension of single ion acceleration to heating (SEWH and BEWH) of an ensemble of initially thermalized ions was carried out to compare the processes. Using a numerical solution of the Vlasov equation as a guideline, an analytical expression for the heating level was derived with Lie transforms and was used to show BEWH's superiority over all parameter space.     

Plasma-maser interaction of langmuir wave with kinetic Alfvén wave turbulence

A theoretical study is made on the generation mechanism of Langmuir mode wave in the presence of kinetic Alfvén wave turbulence in a magnetized plasma on the basis of plasma-maser interaction. It is shown that a test high frequency Langmuir mode wave is unstable in the presence of low frequency kinetic Alfvén wave turbulence. The growth of the Langmuir wave occurs due to direct and polarization coupling terms. Because of the universal existence of the kinetic Alfvén waves in large scale plasmas, the results have potential importance in space and astrophysical radiation processes.     

Effects of Heavy Ions on Kinetic Alfvén Waves

Kinetic Alfvén Wave (KAW) is one of the low-frequency electromagnetic fluctuations that are identified extensively in space plasmas by in situ observations of satellites and has been an interesting topic for discussion widely in the fields of laboratory, space, and astrophysical plasmas because of its potential importance in plasma particle energization. Some satellite observations show that the number density ratio of the oxygen ions to the ambient plasma is 30%～50%, sometimes, even as high as 80%. In this paper, effects of heavy ion species on KAWs are studied in a low-beta plasma. The results show that heavy ions not only considerably reduce the propagation speed of KAWs, but also remarkably influence the parallel component of perturbed electric field of KAWs (to the ambient magnetic field). The ratio of parallel to perpendicular components of perturbed field decreases (or increases) with the heavy ion abundance for KAWs dominated by the electron inertial length (or by ion acoustic gyroradius). In particular, the resonant condition of KAWs with thermal electrons is modified by the heavy ion species.     

Ion acceleration by the space charge electric force arising from the radiation pressure in a magnetized electron–positron plasma

It is shown that ions can be accelerated by the space charge electric force arising from the separation of electrons and positrons due to the ponderomotive force of the magnetic field-aligned circularly polarized electromagnetic (CPEM) wave in a magnetized electron–positron–ion plasma. The ion acceleration critically depends on the external magnetic field strength. The result is useful in understanding differential ion acceleration in magnetized electron–positron–ion plasmas, such as those in magnetars and in some laboratory experiments that aim to mimic astrophysical environments.     

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Interactions-Near-Earth Manifestations of the Plasma Universe

As the universe consists almost entirely of plasma, the understanding of astrophysical phenomena must depend critically on our understanding of how matter behaves in the plasma state. In situ observations in the near-earth cosmical plasma offer an excellent opportunity for gaining such understanding. The near-earth cosmical plasma not only covers vast ranges of density and temperature, but is the site of a rich variety of complex plasma physical processes which are activated as a result of the interactions between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. The geomagnetic field connects the ionosphere, tied by friction to the earth, and the magnetosphere, dynamically coupled to the solar wind. This causes an exchange of energy and momentum between the two regions. The exchange is executed by magnetic-field-aligned electric currents, the so-called Birkeland currents. Both directly and indirectly (through instabilities and particle acceleration) these also lead to an exchange of plasma, which is selective and therefore causes chemical separationi. Another essential aspect of the coupling is the role of electric fields, especially magnetic-field-aligned ("parallel") electric fields, which have important consequences both for the dynamics of the coupling and, especially, for energization of charged particles.     

On the formation of spin dependent double layer structure in astrophysical plasmas

Double layers (DLs) are nonlinear structures, and are thought to be responsible for particle acceleration in laboratory plasmas and astrophysical plasmas. In this paper, the existence of spin dependent DLs structure is explored using separate spin evolution quantum hydrodynamic model. Based on reductive perturbation method, we derived an extended Korteweg–de Vries (eKdV) equation to demonstrate the existence and nature of DLs. We found that spin polarization significantly enhanced the amplitude of the electrostatic potential associated with DLs. Further, spin polarization also increases the depth and width of the Sagdeev potential. It is noted that the contribution of Bohm potential effect is essential for the formation of DLs structure. Our results may be helpful to explain the phenomenon of particle acceleration in dense astrophysical environments specifically in a white dwarf.     

线极化波对带电粒子的加速机制

讨论了线极化波对带电粒子三种加速机制:(1)介质折射率递减但外加磁场保持不变;(2)介质折射率不变但外加磁场递增;(3)介质折射率递减且外加磁场递增。结果显示,在一定的加速距离内,按照机制(3)利用LPEMW加速电子的效率最高。另外,机制(3)可以避免机制(2)中电子在加速过程中回飞的问题,这一点在利用线极化波(LPEMW)加速电子束或带电粒子束时非常重要。     

Focusing of Macroparticle Projectiles

The electrostatic acceleration of small particles to hyper-velocities is a way to get high temperatures by hypervelocity impact. In order to get fusion these particles should be bunched together in order to check the Lawson criterion. The longitudinal focusing of a beam of macroparticles is discussed in analogy with klystron theory. An ideal potential law and a sinusoidal potential law are considered. Because of the low charge/mass ratio of macroparticles, the frequencies involved are extremely low.     

Linear Analysis of Obliquely Propagating Longitudinal Waves in Partially Spin Polarized Degenerate Magnetized Plasma

Linear analysis of low frequency obliquely propagating electrostatic waves in a partially spin polarized degenerate magnetized plasma is presented. Using Fourier analysis, a general linear dispersion relation is derived for low frequency electrostatic lower hybrid(LH) wave, ion acoustic(IA) wave and ion cyclotron(IC) wave in the presence of electron spin polarization. It is found that the electron spin polarization gives birth to a new spin-dependent wave(spin electron acoustic wave) in the spectrum of these waves. Further, the electron spin polarization also causes drastic shifts in the frequency spectrum of these waves. These effects would have a strong bearing on wave phenomena in degenerate astrophysical plasmas.     

Formation of Suprathermal Particle Fluxes in a Strongly Turbulent Plasma

We consider the problem on the formation of suprathermal particle fluxes by electrostatic structures in strongly turbulent cosmic plasmas. It is shown that regions with a strong plasma turbulence can be large accelerators of charged particles. We give solutions of the stationary kinetic equation in a turbulent layer for different acceleration regimes and estimate the efficiency of diffusion over the longitudinal and transverse velocities of particles with respect to the magnetic field. The transverse diffusion in velocity space is more efficient for ions and leads to strong isotropization of ion fluxes. Electrons move almost along the magnetic field. We reveal the conditions under which the regular force in a nonuniform magnetic field influences the stochastic-acceleration process. The average energy of axial motion of the particles and the particle fluxes at large distances from the injection region are estimated. Ions and electrons can be accelerated up to comparable energies. We analyze the characteristic features of the motion of the relativistic-particle beams. It is shown that strong plasma turbulence can form particle beams with specific energies. The proposed mechanism is useful for explanation of the properties of energetic particles in cosmic plasmas with magnetic-field-aligned currents, e.g., in high-latitude regions of planetary magnetospheres, force-free configurations of the solar corona, and the solar wind.     

Plasma wave frequency shift in a weak transverse magnetic field due to trapped particle acceleration

A simple model of nonlinear electrostatic wave–particle interaction in a weak magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation is developed. The damping of the wave loaded with the phase bunched groups of trapped particles is considered with the aid of the model equations. To determine the nonlinear frequency shift of the wave in the process of the trapped particle acceleration, the nonlinear dispersion equation is derived. It is shown that the corresponding variation of the phase velocity may affect the interaction process and hence must be taken into account in the self-consistent treatment of the time evolution of the wave.     

Kinetics of the Raman instability in laser plasma

The phase-space evolution in a non-relativistic and homogeneous laser plasma in the presence of the stimulated Raman scattering is studied. Transform method is used for a solution of the set of partial differential equations which consists of the Vlasov equation and of the full set of Maxwell equations in a 1D model. Numerical instability of the Fourier-Hermite representation is described and discussed. To overcome numerical instabilities during the simulation, a simplified Fokker-Planck collision term is employed. In the collisionless case the solution is pushed to the practicable limit and the initial phase of particle trapping and acceleration in the potential wells of the electrostatic wave accompanying the Raman backscattered wave was recorded. Also the growth of the electrostatic partner of the Raman forward scattered wave was observed.     

Amplitude modulation and soliton formation of an intense laser beam interacting with dense quantum plasma: Symbolic simulation analysis

In this theoretical study, we investigate the amplitude modulation and envelop soliton formation in a dense plasma when such a plasma interacts with a strong laser beam. We have made use of the symbolic simulation technique to find the modulation instability of an electrostatic wave with higher orders of non-linearity. We identified the range of wavenumber in which such non-linearity is important. Furthermore, we have analysed the formation of envelope soliton of waves localized in space. The results obtained here will be helpful in interpreting different phenomena that arise in laser plasma interaction. The importance of the relativistic contribution of streaming particles is discussed alongside the parametric influences experienced by the plasma particles.