Low-frequency longitudinal oscillations in a plasma with a relativistic electron component

Ion-sound oscillations in a three-dimensional plasma with relativistic electron component are studied. It is established that in this case ion-sound oscillations can exist only at electron and ion temperatures much less than the rest mass of the ions. In particular, it is shown that for an electron-positron plasma at relativistic temperatures ion-sound is impossible. The problem of ion-sound excitation by a charged particle beam is considered. Corresponding increments in beam instability are calculated.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 12, pp. 24–27, December, 1985.