Effects of ion collisions on the interaction of transverse waves with half-space plasma

For half-space (Z>0), homogeneous, collisonal and warm plasma, the expressions for fields and penetration depth δ/δ _e (in the unit of ion collisionless cold plasma penetration depth, i.e., when v _i =0, υ_0i =) are derived and discussed numerically. It is concluded that the propagation of transverse waves is only slightly affected by the ion collisions and the applied magnetic field when the plasma frequence is greater than the wave frequency (ω _pe >ω). For the case of ω _pe ≤ω, the damping of the wave is not affected by the changes in the ion collision frequency and the ion temperature. However, in this case, the propagation of the wave is drastically affected by the applied magnetic field and the wave damps quickly as the magnetic field strength or the gyrofrequency (Ω _e ) increases.     

Study of inertial kinetic Alfven waves around cusp region

The effect of electron inertia on kinetic Alfven wave has been studied. The expressions for the dispersion relation, growth/damping rate and growth/damping length of the inertial kinetic Alfven wave (IKAW) are derived using the kinetic approach in cusp region. The Vlasov-kinetic theory has been adopted to evaluate the dispersion relation, growth/damping rate and growth/damping length with respect to the perpendicular wave number k_⊥ρ_i (ρ_i is the ion gyroradius) at different plasma densities. The growth/damping rate and growth/damping length are evaluated for different m_e/βm_i, where β is the ratio of electron pressure to the magnetic field pressure, m_{i, e} are the mass of ion and electron, respectively, as I=m_e/βm_i represent boundary between the kinetic and inertial regimes. It is observed that frequency of inertial kinetic Alfven wave (IKAW) ω is decreasing with k_⊥ρ_i and plasma density. The polar cusp is an ideal laboratory for studies of nonlinear plasma processes important for understanding the basic plasma physics, as well as the magnetospheric and astrophysical applications of these processes.     

Nonlinear generation of ion loss-cone waves by electrostatic turbulence in the magnetosphere

Effects of plasma turbulence on the stability of electrostatic ion loss-cone waves are examined. The turbulence is assumed to be electrostatic with frequencies near 1.5 times the electron gyrofrequency and the frequencies of the generated waves are below the ion plasma frequency ω_pi>. A nonlinear growth rate of the order of 10^?2ω_pi may be obtained, when the amplitude of the turbulence is 20 mV/m. This is comparable to previously found growth rates of the linear ion loss-cone instability, in a plasma with large pitch angle anisotropy. Bounce averaged pitch angle diffusion coefficients are also presented for different models of the ion loss-cone wave spectrum.     

W-shaped occultation signatures: Inference of entwined particle orbits in charged planetary ringlets

Observed W-shaped occultation signatures of certain narrow ringlets in the ring systems of Saturn and Uranus imply a concentration of material near their inner and outer radial edges. A model is proposed where edge bunching is a natural consequence of particles in entwined elliptical orbits, with the same particles alternately defining both edges. While such orbits cross over in radius, collisions would not occur if they have small inclinations, the same fixed argument of periapse ω, and other parameters whereby the particles would “fly in formation” along compressed helical paths relative to the core of the ringlet, which is taken to be a circle in the equatorial plane. For this model to match the observed ring thickness and ringlet widths, orbit inclinations i must be much smaller than their eccentricities e, which themselves would be very small compared to unity. Thus, the meridional cross section of the resultant torus would be a very thin ellipse of thickness proportional to i∣cos ω∣, tilted slightly from the equatorial plane by (i/e)∣sin ω∣ radians. However, gravitational perturbations due to the oblateness of the planet would cause a secular change in ω so that this cross section would collapse periodically to a tilted line, and collisions would then occur. If this collapse could be prevented, the torus could remain in a continuous state of nearly zero viscosity. Stabilization against collapse appears possible due to several remarkable characteristics that are added to the model when the particles are electrically charged. First, because of inherent features of the torus structure, a weak electric force could counter the key effect of the vastly larger oblateness force. Second, because the electric perturbation also affects i, there is a large region in ω,i space where stability against cross-sectional collapse is automatic. For this region, the thickness of the elliptical cross section would expand and contract in concert with the way that the major axis of the ellipse rocks back and forth relative to the equatorial plane. The period of these “rocking and breathing” changes would be from 1 to 3 weeks for a torus in the C ring of Saturn, for example. The electric effects could change considerably without driving the parameters of the torus from the stable domain where cross-sectional collapse does not occur. While specialized and in several important ways still incomplete, the proposed model could account for the W-shaped patterns and explain how very dense ringlets might endure without energy loss due to collisions. It also appears to be capable of explaining the observed sorting of particles by size within a ringlet. Several characteristics of the model suggest definitive tests of its applicability, including its prediction that a nonsymmetrical W-shaped occultation signature could be reversed a half orbit away, and that grazing solar illumination of tilted ringlets might cast shadows that change with time in a prescribed way.     

Resonant Compton scattering associated with pair creation

Studies of Compton scattering by relativistic electrons in a strong magnetic field have been restricted to either incident photon angles θ′ aligned along the magnetic field B or incident photon energies ω′ below the first pair creation threshold $\omega'_{PC}$ . When these restrictions are relaxed there is a resonance in Compton scattering associated with pair creation (PC), that is analogous to but independent of known resonances associated with gyromagnetic absorption (GA). As with the GA resonances, that may be labeled by the Landau quantum numbers of the relevant states, there is a sequence of PC resonances where the scattering cross section diverges. In this paper, the lowest divergence is studied for incident photon energies satisfying ω′²sin² θ′/(2eB)?1, assuming that the scattering electron is in its ground (Landau) state. This lowest resonance affects only parallel-polarized photons.     

Frequency splitting in stria bursts: Possible roles of low-frequency waves

The kinematics of the process L ± F→ L′ are explored where L represents a parallel Langmuir wave, F represents a low frequency fluctuation and L′ represents a secondary Langmuir wave, and the results are used to discuss (a) a possible interpretation of the frequency splitting in stria bursts in terms of the processes L ± F → L′, L′ ± F′ → t, where t represents a transverse wave, and (b) second harmonic emission due to the processes L ± s→ L′, L + L′ → t, where s represents an ion sound wave. The following results are obtained:

1. The processes L ± s → L′ are allowed only for k _s < 2k _L ± k ₀, respectively, with k ₀ = ω _p /65 V _e .
2. The inclusion of a magnetic field does not alter the result (1) and adds further kinematic restrictions related to angles of propagation; the kinematic restriction T _e > 5 × 10⁵ K for second harmonic emission through process (b) above is also unchanged by inclusion of the magnetic field. The effect of a spread in the wavevectors of the Langmuir waves on this restriction is discussed in the Appendix.
3. For parallel Langmuir waves the process L - F → L′ is forbidden for lower hybrid waves and for nearly perpendicular resonant whistlers, and the process L + F → L′ is allowed only for resonant whistlers at ω _F ? 1/2ω _p (Ω _e /ω _p )².
4. The sequential three wave processes L ± s → L′, L′ ± s → t and L + F → L′, L′ ± F′ → t encounter difficulties when applied to the interpretation of the splitting in split pair and triple bursts.
5. The four-wave process L ± F ± F′ → t is kinematically allowed and provides a favourable qualitative interpretation of the splitting when F denotes a resonant whistler near the frequency mentioned in (3) above. The four wave processes should saturate under conditions which are not extreme and produce fundamental plasma emission with brightness temperature T _t equal to the effective temperature T _L of the Langmuir waves.

     

Stability of Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Waves in a Multi-Ion Plasma

We have studied the stability of the electrostatic electron cyclotron wave in a plasma composed of hydrogen, oxygen and electrons. To conform to satellite observations in the low latitude boundary layer we model both the ionic components as drifting perpendicular to the magnetic field. Expressions for the frequency and the growth rate of the wave have been derived. We find that the plasma can support electron cyclotron waves with a frequency slightly greater than the electron cyclotron frequency ω _ce ; these waves can be driven unstable when the drift velocities of both the ions are greater than the phase velocity of the wave. We thus introduce another source of instability for these waves namely multiple ion beams drifting perpendicular to the magnetic field.     

Nonlinear effects associated with the finite frequency pump kinetic Alfvén wave and turbulent spectrum in solar wind

The paper contains a numerical simulation of the nonlinear coupling between the kinetic Alfvén wave and the ion acoustic wave for an intermediate β-plasma (m _e/m _i?β?1). For this study, we have introduced the nonlinear ponderomotive force (due to the finite frequency (ω ₀<ω _ci) kinetic Alfvén wave) in the derivation of the ion acoustic wave. The main aim of the present paper is to study the nonlinear effects associated with the different driving finite frequencies (ω ₀<ω _ci) of the pump kinetic Alfvén wave on the formation of localized structures and a turbulent spectrum applicable to the solar wind around 1 AU. As a result, we found that the different driving frequencies of the pump kinetic Alfvén wave affect the formation of the localized structures. We have also studied the turbulent scaling which follows (～k ^?3.6) for ω ₀/ω _ci≈0.2, (～k ^?3.4) for ω ₀/ω _ci≈0.3 and (～k ^?3.2) for ω ₀/ω _ci≈0.4, at small scales. Further, we have also found that different finite driving frequencies of the pump kinetic Alfvén wave affect the turbulence scaling at small scales, which may affect the heating of the plasma particles in solar wind. The present study is correlated with the observation made by the Cluster spacecraft for the solar wind around 1 AU.     

The effects of the polytropic coefficient on plasma sheath in two cases isothermal and adiabatic ion thermal flow

Recently it has been shown that for finite and small values of the electron Debye length, the ion polytropic coefficient is approached to some constant value in the plasma sheath region by decreasing the plasma density. In this paper, using a plasma multi fluid model, the effect of ion polytropic coefficient γ _i on the plasma sheath structure have been examined. The numerical calculations of the basic equation of the model show that the polytropic coefficient strongly affects on the plasma sheath characteristics. The results show that by transition from an isothermal flow (γ _i =1) to an adiabatic flow (γ _i =3), the net current to the wall and the electric potential distribution increase and the sheath width decreases in a thermal plasma sheath.     

Effect of ion collisions on TM models in cylindrical wave guide filled with hot plasma

The expression for damping coefficients (K _i) is derived and discussed numerically, for a cylindrical wave guide, filled with hot collisional and uniaxially magnetised plasma. It is observed that TM modes suffer a very high damping for high values of plasma frequency (w _pe/w = 10) and low values of ion collision frequency (v _i/v _e = 10^?3), where as for low values of plasma frequency (w _pe/w = 0.1) the damping is low. The damping also increases as the ion temperature increases.     

Generation of intermediate drift bursts in solar type IV radio continua through coupling of whistlers and Langmuir waves

The possible generation of intermediate drift bursts in type IV dm continua through coupling between whistler waves, traveling along the magnetic field, and Langmuir waves, excited by a loss-cone instability in the source region, is elaborated. We investigate the generation, propagation and coupling of whistlers. It is shown that the superposition of an isotropic background plasma of 10⁶K and a loss-cone distribution of fast electrons is unstable for whistler waves if the loss-cone aperture 2α is sufficiently large (sec α?4); a typical value of the excited frequencies is 0.1 ω _ce (ω _ce is the angular electron cyclotron frequency). The whistlers can travel upwards through the source region of the continuum along the magnetic field direction with velocities of 21.5–28 v _A (v _A is the Alfvén velocity). Coupling of the whistlers with Langmuir waves into escaping electromagnetic waves can lead to the observed intermediate drift bursts, if the Langmuir waves have phase velocities around the velocity of light. In our model the instantaneous bandwith of the fibers corresponds to a frequency of 0.1–0.5 ω _ce and leads to estimates of the magnetic field strength in the source region. These estimates are in good agreement with those derived from the observed drift rate, corresponding to 21.5–28 v _A, if we use a simple hydrostatic density model.     

Electron heating resulting from interhemispherical transport of photoelectrons

Ambient electron heating rates along several magnetic field lines have been determined for subsequent studies of electron and ion temperatures. Use is made of the modified diffusion method for computing the heating of the ambient plasma, and the escape fluxes from both hemispheres are coupled by self-consistent upper boundary conditions supplied by interhemispheric fluxes degraded in energy along the magnetic field tubes. Heating rates and fluxes are presented for several low L-shells appropriate for noon solstice conditions when both hemispheres are illuminated. The opacity of the field tubes as a function of L is expected to go through a minimum due to the transition from large collective effects of coulomb small angle scattering and energy loss for high L-shells, to a domination by neutral scattering all along the field lines of low L-shells.     

Electric fields in coronal magnetic loops

We analyze spectra taken with the 40 cm coronograph at Sacramento Peak Observatory, for evidence of Stark effect on Balmer lines formed in coronal magnetic structures. Several spectra taken near the apex of a bright post-flare loop prominence show significant broadening from H₁₀ to the limit of Balmer line visibility in these spectra, at about H₂₀ The most likely interpretation of the increasing width is Stark broadening, although unresolved blends of Balmer emissions with metallic lines could also contribute to the trend. Less significant broadening is seen in 3 other post-flare loops, and the data from 5 other active coronal condensations observed in this study show no broadening tendency at all, over this range of Balmer number. The trend clearly observed in one post-flare loop requires an ion density of n _i ? 2 × 10¹² cm^?3, if it is to be explained entirely as Stark effect caused by pressure broadening. But mean electron densities measured directly from the Thomson scattering at λ3875 in the same SPO spectra, yield n _e ? 3?7 × 10¹⁰ cm^?3 for the same condensations observed within that loop. Comparison of this evidence from electron scattering, with densities derived from emission measures and line-intensity ratios, argues against a volume filling factor small enough to reconcile the values of n _i and n _e derived in this study. This discrepancy leads us to suggest that the Stark effect observed in these loops, and possibly also in flares, could be caused by macroscopic electric fields, rather than by pressure broadening. The electric field required to explain the Stark broadening in the brightest post-flare loop observed here is approximately 170 V cm^?1. We suggest an origin for such an electric field and discuss its implications for coronal plasma dynamics.     

Excitation of magnetosonic waves with discrete spectrum in the equatorial vicinity of the plasmapause

There is a magnetosonic waveguide under the arch of the plasmasphere. This channel, in the form of a ring with radius L～4, surrounds the Earth. It is shown that in this region of the magnetosphere the flute-like electromagnetic disturbances (k6 = 0) with frequencies ω = sω_p can be excited by energetic protons, with non-monotonic dependence on transverse energy ($\text{??/?ε}{}_{\mathrm{\perp }}\text{> 0}$). The interpretation of magnetic pulsations which have been observed in the equatorial vicinity of the plasmapause on the satellite OGO-3 in the frequency range ～10² cps (Russell et al., 1970) is given. In particular the origin of discrete structure of the observed spectra (narrow band spikes for a rather broad range of frequency) is discussed.     

Towards a theory for type III solar radio bursts

The mechanisms for the transformation of plasma waves into radiation near the fundamental and second harmonic of the plasma frequency are reviewed and equations are given for both the emission and absorption coefficients for these mechanisms. Near the fundamental the process is the scattering of plasma waves on the polarization clouds of ions and the absorption coefficient can be negative, i.e. the radiation can be amplified. Near the second harmonic the process is the combination of two excited plasma waves for which the absorption coefficient can only be positive. These results are applied to construct models of the radiation source for type III solar radio bursts both at high frequencies where the fundamental is dominant and at low frequencies where the second harmonic is dominant using two model plasma wave spectra, one being one-dimensional, the other isotropic. At high frequencies second harmonic radiation is used to determine the source area for a given energy density in plasma waves W _p . The source size and W _p are detrmined uniquely for a given plasma wave spectrum by tracing rays in a model source taking into account amplification of the fundamental. The results for a strong source at the 80 MHz plasma level with a ratio of emissivities of the fundamental to second harmonic P(ω _p )/P(2ω _p ) ≈ 10 are that the source with a one-dimensional plasma wave spectrum is about 14000 km in diameter and W _p = 10^?6.52 erg cm^?3, and the source with an isotropic distribution of plasma waves is about 200 km in diameter and W _p = 10^?6.3 erg cm^?3. It is shown that at low frequencies, where amplification of the fundamental is no longer possible, second harmonic radiation must be dominant and thus very little information about the source can obtained from the radiation.     

Interactions of plasmas with magnetic field boundaries

The magnetopause, the boundary layer, or current sheath, which separates the magnetosphere from the solar wind, is the particular interaction considered in this paper.The collision free electron skin depth, $\text{ξ}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\text{=}\text{c}\text{ω}{}_{\mathrm{pe}}$, where c is the velocity of light and ω_pe, is the plasma frequency, gives a classical measure of the penetration depth of a collisionless plasma by an electromagnetic field. This penetration depth is small compared with the dimensions of the magnetosphere and hence the boundary layer may be conveniently considered in one dimension.In General all one dimensional solutions lie within an order of magnitude of the value of ξ_e, the only exception being the important one, in which the electric field perpendicular to the current sheath plane is not present, either due to a particular trapped particle distribution or due to a short circuiting end effect. For this exception the thickness is increased by the factor ($\text{m}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{i/m}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$.The current sheath solutions discussed are equilibrium solutions but not necessarily stable equilibrium solutions.The extension of the models to three dimensions has a larger effect than might at first be expected. The effect may be intuitively understood as a consequence of flux conservation in the sheath. The one dimensional solutions then correspond to the current sheath profiles at the thinnest point of the three dimensional sheath.     

Three-dimensional numerical modeling of refraction and reflection scattering from icy galilean satellites

Radar scattering from the icy galilean satellites is marked by unusually high backscatter cross sections and polarization ratios at wavelengths λ₀=3.5-70 cm. The persistence of exotic scattering behavior over this large a wavelength range suggests that the responsible mechanisms remain at least partially effective as the wavelength approaches or exceeds the size of individual scatterers. We examine two models previously analyzed in the geometrical optics limit—radar glory from buried craters (Eshleman, 1986, Science 234, 587-590) and refraction scattering from subsurface lenses (Hagfors et al., 1985, Nature 315, 637-640)—at wavelength scales using three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical simulations. We include craters with rough walls and lenses with random inclusions of heterogeneous material. For hemispherical craters spanning up to 3λ₀ in diameter, we observe none of the exotic backscatter behavior attributed to the geometrical optics models. Nonspherical refraction scatterers can produce circular polarization ratios μ_C>1 and linear polarization ratios μ_L=0.5-0.8 at diameters as small as ∼λ₀, but the density of such inclusions must be high if refraction scattering alone is to account for the measured cross sections.     

Investigation of solitary waves in warm plasma for smaller order relativistic effects with variable pressures and inertia of electrons

In the two component relativistic plasmas subject to pressure variation of adiabatic electrons and isothermal ions, both compressive and rarefactive KdV solitons are established in a quite different physical plasma model. It is desirable to define c _s in a new way to substantiate the validity of the model under relativistic effects. The corresponding mathematical condition is also determined, which is a new report of this kind. It is also interesting to report that the relativistic rarefactive solitons cease to exist below some critical ion initial streaming speed v _i0 for a fixed temperature α and electron streaming speed v _e0. Besides, higher initial flux v _i0 of ions under constant temperature is observed to generate higher speed v _i at the passage of time which causes to increase (in relativistic sense) its mass diminishing thereby the growth of soliton amplitudes.     

Estimates of methane and ammonia abundance in the Jovian atmosphere with allowance for scattering in the clouds

Results of photoelectric measurements of the intensity in CH₄ 5430, 6190, and 7250 Å absorption bands, CH₄ absorption lines in the 3ν₃ band, and the NH₃ 6457.1 Å line are examined from the point of view of a model which takes into account the role of multiple scattering inside a homogeneous semi-infinite cloud layer in the formation of absorption components in the Jovian spectrum. Introduced are a number of simple ratios between depths of lines and bands and the parameters which characterize the properties of the cloud layer and the atmosphere above the clouds for occurrence of the Henyey-Greenstein scattering phase function at various degrees of asymmetry in g. The CH₄ content inside the cloud layer is determined as an equivalent thickness on the mean free path between scattering events. The latter was found to be equal to A_L ? 10 ± 2 m-amagat at g = 0.75 or A_L ? 20 ± 3 m-amagat at g = 0.5 along all the above-mentioned CH₄ absorption bands. For NH₃ it is A_L ? 31 ± 4 cm-amagat at g = 0.75 and A_L ? 62 ± 8 cm-amagat at g = 0.5.The weakening of the CH₄ absorption bands toward the edges of the Jovian disc requires a volume scattering coefficient in the cloud layer of σ_a ～ 10^?6 cm^?1. The mean specific abundance of NH₃ obtained within the cloud layer does not contradict the calculated abundance of saturated gaseous ammonia.