Transverse instability of electron phase-space holes in multi-dimensional Maxwellian plasmas
Name
1804.08594.pdf
Description
Submitted version
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705.59 KB
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Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
27d68466843daba79e6c8fd1a3745bf3
Author(s)
Hutchinson, Ian Horner
Date Issued
November 2018
Journal
Journal of Plasma Physics
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Citation
Hutchinson, I.H., "Transverse instability of electron phase-space holes in multi-dimensional Maxwellian plasmas." Journal of Plasma Physics 84, 4 (November 2018): no. 905840411 doi 10.1017/S0022377818000909 ©2018 Author
Version
Original manuscript
Abstract
The stability of an initially one-dimensional electron hole to perturbations varying sinusoidally transverse to its trapping direction is analysed in detail. It is shown that the expected low-frequency eigenmode of the linearized Vlasov-Poisson system consists of a shift mode, proportional to the gradient of the equilibrium potential. The resulting dispersion relation is that the total jetting force exerted by a perturbed hole on the particles balances the electric restoring tension of the hole. The tension is quantitatively small and can often be ignored. The particle force is expressed as integrals of equilibrium parameters over the hole and is shown at low frequency to be exactly equal to what has recently been found (by different analysis) to express 'kinematic' hole momentum conservation. The mechanism of instability has nothing to do with the previously hypothesized transverse electron focusing. The unmagnetized growth rate γ (k) is found numerically and is in excellent agreement with recent kinematic estimates. Magnetic field stabilization of the transverse mode is also evaluated. The resulting stability boundary for Maxwellian holes is in reasonable agreement with previously published criteria based on particle simulation. It arises from a change of trapped force sign across the resonance between bounce and cyclotron frequencies. ©2018
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Plasma Science and Fusion Center
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377818000909
