Comment on “Temperature dependence of pump coupling in two-plasmon decay instability of an electromagnetic wave in homogeneous fluid plasmas” [Phys. Plasmas 22, 084503 (2015)]
No abstract prepared.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
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Characterization of the onset of ion cyclotron parametric decay instability of lower hybrid waves in a diverted tokamak
The goal of the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) program on Alcator C-Mod is to develop and optimize reactor-relevant steady-state plasmas by controlling current density profile. However, current drive efficiency precipitously decreases as the line averaged density (n{sup ¯}{sub e}) increases above ∼1 × 10{sup 20} m{sup −3}. Previous simulations show that the observed loss of current drive efficiency in high density plasmas stems from the interactions of LH waves with edge/scrape-off layer plasmas [Wallace et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 062505 (2012)]. A recent observation [Baek et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 55, 052001 (2013)] shows that the configuration dependent ion cyclotron parametric decay instability (PDI) is excited in the density range where the discrepancy between the experiments and simulations remains. Comparing the observed spectra with the homogeneous growth rate spectra indicates that the observed ion cyclotron PDI can be excited not only at the low-field-side but also at the high-field-side (HFS) edge of the tokamak. The model analysis shows that a relevant PDI process to Alcator C-Mod LHCD experiments is decay into ion cyclotron quasi-mode driven by parallel coupling. The underlying cause of the observed onset of ion cyclotron PDI is likely due to the weaker radial penetration of the LH wave in high density plasmas, which can lead to enhanced convective growth. Configuration-dependent PDIs are found to be correlated with different edge density profiles in different magnetic configurations. While the HFS edge of the tokamak can be potentially susceptible to PDI, as evidenced by experimental observations and ray-tracing analyses, enhancing single-pass absorption is expected to help recover the LHCD efficiency at reactor-relevant densities because it could suppress several parasitic loss mechanisms that are exacerbated in multi-pass regimes.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Parametric instabilities of circularly polarized Alfven waves in high-beta plasmas
CGL relations including the effect of finite ion Larmor radius are used to consider a class of parametric instabilities of finite-amplitude, circularly polarized Alfven waves in high-beta plasmas. The disperison relation governing the instabilities is a sixth-order polynomial which is solved numerically. There are two types of instabilities: a modulational instability at k is less than k(0) and a relatively weak and narrow bandwidth instability at k is less than approximately k(0), where k and k(0) are the wavenumbers of the unstable density fluctuation and the 'pump' wave, respectively. It is shown that these instabilities can occur for left-handed pump waves and that the modulational instability is unstable over a very broad band in k with a maximum growth rate at finite k is not equal to 0.
Hamabata, Hiromitsu↗
Response to “Comment on ‘Temperature dependence of pump coupling in two-plasmon decay instability of an electromagnetic wave in homogeneous fluid plasmas’” [Phys. Plasmas 22, 104701 (2015)]
No abstract prepared.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
Unstable magnetosonic waves in a relativistic plasma.
Magnetosonic wave effect on anisotropic relativistic plasma component, obtaining cosmic ray plasma instability when wave frequencies are less than electron cyclotron frequency
ANISOTROPY↗
Modulational Instability Of Dust Electron Acoustic Waves In Superthermal Dusty Plasmas
In this investigation we have studied how dust concentration and superthermality of electrons affect the instability growth rate of dust electron-acoustic waves. Both type of dark and bright envelope solitons are observed.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Parametric instabilities of large amplitude Alfven waves with obliquely propagating sidebands
This paper presents a brief report on properties of the parametric decay and modulational, filamentation, and magnetoacoustic instabilities of a large amplitude, circularly polarized Alfven wave. We allow the daughter and sideband waves to propagate at an arbitrary angle to the background magnetic field so that the electrostatic and electromagnetic characteristics of these waves are coupled. We investigate the dependance of these instabilities on dispersion, plasma/beta, pump wave amplitude, and propagation angle. Analytical and numerical results are compared with numerical simulations to investigate the full nonlinear evolution of these instabilities.
Vinas, A. F.↗
MU radar observation of a mesospheric gravity wave breaking caused by convective instability
In recent measurements of mesospheric winds with the MU radar at Shigaraki (34.9 N, 136.1 E), Japan, a couple of wind velocity data was obtained showing that a monochromatic inertia-gravity wave was propagating vertically in the mesosphere. The data show that the velocity amplitude of the wave did not increase exponentially above a height and further show that the wave form had broken down at a level. Evaluating the changes of the atmospheric stability in the wave field from the measured wind data and from the estimated wave parameters, the breakdown of the wave was shown to be connected with the occurrence of convective instability in the wave field.
Muraoka, Y.↗
The dynamic instability of adiabatic blast waves
Adiabatic blastwaves, which have a total energy injected from the center E varies as t(sup q) and propagate through a preshock medium with a density rho(sub E) varies as r(sup -omega) are described by a family of similarity solutions. Previous work has shown that adiabatic blastwaves with increasing or constant postshock entropy behind the shock front are susceptible to an oscillatory instability, caused by the difference between the nature of the forces on the two sides of the dense shell behind the shock front. This instability sets in if the dense postshock layer is sufficiently thin. The stability of adiabatic blastwaves with a decreasing postshock entropy is considered. Such blastwaves, if they are decelerating, always have a region behind the shock front which is subject to convection. Some accelerating blastwaves also have such region, depending on the values of q, omega, and gamma where gamma is the adiabatic index. However, since the shock interface stabilizes dynamically induced perturbations, blastwaves become convectively unstable only if the convective zone is localized around the origin or a contact discontinuity far from the shock front. On the other hand, the contact discontinuity of accelerating blastwaves is subject to a strong Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The frequency spectra of the nonradial, normal modes of adiabatic blastwaves have been calculated. The results have been applied to the shocks propagating through supernovae envelopes. It is shown that the metal/He and He/H interfaces are strongly unstable against the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. This instability will induce mixing in supernovae envelopes. In addition the implications of this work for the evolution of planetary nebulae is discussed.
Ryu, Dongsu↗
Incommensurate Phonon Anomaly and the Nature of Charge Density Waves in Cuprates
While charge density wave (CDW) instabilities are ubiquitous to superconducting cuprates, the different ordering wave vectors in various cuprate families have hampered a unified description of the CDW formation mechanism. Here, we investigate the temperature dependence of the low-energy phonons in the canonical CDW-ordered cuprate La 1.875 Ba 0.125 CuO 4 . We discover that the phonon softening wave vector associated with CDW correlations becomes temperature dependent in the high-temperature precursor phase and changes from a wave vector of 0.238 reciprocal lattice units (r.l.u.) below the ordering transition temperature to 0.3 r.l.u. at 300 K. This high-temperature behavior also shows that “214”-type cuprates can host CDW correlations at a similar wave vector to previously reported CDW correlations in non-214-type cuprates such as YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+δ . This indicates that cuprate CDWs may arise from the same underlying instability despite their apparently different low-temperature ordering wave vectors.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
Three-dimensional Features of the Outer Heliosphere Due to Coupling between the Interstellar and Heliospheric Magnetic Field. V. The Bow Wave, Heliospheric Boundary Layer, Instabilities, and Magnetic Reconnection
The heliosphere is formed due to interaction between the solar wind (SW) and local interstellar medium (LISM). The shape and position of the heliospheric boundary, the heliopause, in space depend on the parameters of interacting plasma flows. The interplay between the asymmetrizing effect of the interstellar magnetic field and charge exchange between ions and neutral atoms plays an important role in the SW–LISM interaction. By performing three-dimensional, MHD plasma/kinetic neutral atom simulations, we determine the width of the outer heliosheath—the LISM plasma region affected by the presence of the heliosphere—and analyze quantitatively the distributions in front of the heliopause. It is shown that charge exchange modifies the LISM plasma to such extent that the contribution of a shock transition to the total variation of plasma parameters becomes small even if the LISM velocity exceeds the fast magnetosonic speed in the unperturbed medium. By performing adaptive mesh refinement simulations, we show that a distinct boundary layer of decreased plasma density and enhanced magnetic field should be observed on the interstellar side of the heliopause. We show that this behavior is in agreement with the plasma oscillations of increasing frequency observed by the plasma wave instrument onboard Voyager 1. We also demonstrate that Voyager observations in the inner heliosheath between the heliospheric termination shock and the heliopause are consistent with dissipation of the heliospheric magnetic field. The choice of LISM parameters in this analysis is based on the simulations that fit observations of energetic neutral atoms performed by Interstellar Boundary Explorer .
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Modulational and filamentational instabilities of a monochromatic Langmuir pump wave in quantum plasmas
The modulational and filamentational instabilities of a monochromatic Langmuir pump wave are investigated for the case of collisionless quantum plasmas, using renormalized quantum linear and nonlinear plasma polarization responses. We obtain the quantum-corrected dispersion equation for the modulational and filamentational instabilities growth rates. It is demonstrated that the quantum effect suppresses the growth rates of the modulational and filamentational instabilities.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Resonantly unstable off-angle hydromagnetic waves.
Cyclotron resonance instability of ion cyclotron and magnetosonic waves propagating at angle to magnetic field in infinite uniform plasma
MAGNETOSONIC RESONANCE↗
Electron Bernstein waves and narrow band plasma waves near the electron cyclotron frequency in the near-Sun solar wind
Context. Recent studies of the solar wind sunward of 0.25 AU reveal that it contains quiescent regions, with low-amplitude plasma and magnetic field fluctuations, and a magnetic field direction similar to the Parker spiral. The quiescent regions are thought to have a more direct magnetic connection to the solar corona than other types of solar wind, suggesting that waves or instabilities in the quiescent regions are indicative of the early evolution of the solar wind as it escapes the corona. The quiescent solar wind regions are highly unstable to the formation of plasma waves near the electron cyclotron frequency (fce). Aims. We examine high time resolution observations of these waves in an effort to understand their impact on electron distribution functions of the quiescent near-Sun solar wind. Methods. High time resolution waveform captures of near-fce waves were examined to determine variations of their amplitude and frequency in time as well as their polarization properties. Results. We demonstrate that the near-fce wave intervals contain several distinct wave types, including electron Bernstein waves and extremely narrowband waves that are highly sensitive to the ambient magnetic field orientation. Using the properties of these waves, we suggest possible plasma wave mode classifications and possible instabilities that generate these waves. The results of this analysis indicate that these waves may modify the cold core of the electron distribution functions in the quiescent near-Sun solar wind.
David M. Malaspina↗
Alfvén wave coupled with flow-driven fluid instability in interpenetrating plasmas
The Alfvén wave is analyzed in case of one quasineutral plasma propagating with some constant speed v{sub 0} through another static quasineutral plasma. A dispersion equation is derived describing the Alfvén wave coupled with the flow driven mode ω=kv{sub 0} and solutions are discussed analytically and numerically. The usual solutions for two oppositely propagating Alfvén waves are substantially modified due to the flowing plasma. More profound is modification of the solution propagating in the negative direction with respect to the magnetic field and the plasma flow. For a large enough flow speed (exceeding the Alfvén speed in the static plasma), this negative solution may become non-propagating, with frequency equal to zero. In this case, it represents a spatial variation of the electromagnetic field. For greater flow speed it becomes a forward mode, and it may merge with the positive one. This merging of the two modes represents the starting point for a flow-driven instability, with two complex-conjugate solutions. The Alfvén wave in interpenetrating plasmas is thus modified and coupled with the flow-driven mode and this coupled mode is shown to be growing when the flow speed is large enough. The energy for the instability is macroscopic kinetic energy of the flowing plasma. The dynamics of plasma particles caused by such a coupled wave still remains similar to the ordinary Alfvén wave. This means that well-known stochastic heating by the Alfvén wave may work, and this should additionally support the potential role of the Alfvén wave in the coronal heating.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Parametric instability of a relativistically strong electromagnetic wave.
The stability of a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave that is strong enough to make plasma electrons, but not ions, relativistic is studied. Small perturbations are considered which propagate parallel to the large-amplitude driver. A relativistically strong wave can be unstable on time scales as short as twice its own oscillation period, and decays into a forward-going plasma oscillation and either one or two electromagnetic waves. Ion motion introduces an additional instability which can be important at short perturbation wavelengths, where the driver would otherwise be stable. The unstable ion and electron modes both have potential for producing anomalously large acceleration of relativistic particles, as well as significant amounts of backscattered light. These effects may be important in two applications: (1) the use of intense lasers to heat or compress plasma, and (2) the plasma surrounding a pulsar, if the pulsar is losing energy by radiation of electromagnetic waves at its rotation frequency. Instability persists in the nonrelativistic regime, reducing to stimulated Raman scattering as a special case.
Max, C. E.↗
VARIABLE GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM THE CRAB NEBULA: SHORT FLARES AND LONG 'WAVES'
Gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula has been recently shown to be unsteady. In this paper, we study the flux and spectral variability of the Crab above 100 MeV on different timescales ranging from days to weeks. In addition to the four main intense and day-long flares detected by AGILE and Fermi-LAT between 2007 September and 2012 September, we find evidence for week-long and less intense episodes of enhanced gamma-ray emission that we call 'waves'. Statistically significant 'waves' show timescales of 1-2 weeks, and can occur by themselves or in association with shorter flares. We present a refined flux and spectral analysis of the 2007 September-October gamma-ray enhancement episode detected by AGILE that shows both 'wave' and flaring behavior. We extend our analysis to the publicly available Fermi-LAT data set and show that several additional 'wave' episodes can be identified. We discuss the spectral properties of the 2007 September 'wave'/flare event and show that the physical properties of the 'waves' are intermediate between steady and flaring states. Plasma instabilities inducing 'waves' appear to involve spatial distances l {approx} 10{sup 16} cm and enhanced magnetic fields B {approx} (0.5-1) mG. Day-long flares are characterized by smaller distances and larger local magnetic fields. Typically, the deduced total energy associated with the 'wave' phenomenon (E{sub w} {approx} 10{sup 42} erg, where E{sub w} is the kinetic energy of the emitting particles) is comparable with that associated to the flares, and can reach a few percent of the total available pulsar spin-down energy. Most likely, flares and waves are the product of the same class of plasma instabilities that we show acting on different timescales and radiation intensities.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Taylor-Goertler instabilities of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and other flows governed by the interactive boundary-layer equations
The Taylor-Goertler vortex instability equations are formulated for steady and unsteady interacting boundary-layer flows. The effective Goertler number is shown to be a function of the wall shape in the boundary layer and the possibility of both steady and unsteady Taylor-Goertler modes exists. As an example the steady flow in a symmetrically constricted channel is considered and it is shown that unstable Goertler vortices exist before the boundary layers at the wall develop the Goldstein singularity discussed by Smith and Daniels (1981). As an example of an unsteady spatially varying basic state, it is considered the instability of high-frequency large-amplitude two- and three-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting waves in a curved channel. It is shown that they are unstable in the first 'Stokes-layer stage' of the hierarchy of nonlinear states discussed by Smith and Burggraf (1985). This instability of Tollmien-Schlichting waves in an internal flow can occur in the presence of either convex or concave curvature. Some discussion of this instability in external flows is given.
Hall, Philip↗