Phase-bunching and other non-linear processes occurring in gyroresonant wave-particle interactions

We consider the movement of individual electrons in a magnetized plasma in which a monochromatic wave is propagating in the whistler mode. We derive simple expressions which give the displacement of the electrons as a function of time, the phase angle that their velocity vector makes with the magnetic component of the wave, their pitch angle and energy changes. A useful formula is obtained which gives the velocity range over which particles remain trapped inside the wave, as a function of the wave intensity and of the initial phase angle of the particle. It is shown that even strictly resonant particles can escape from the wave when their initial phase angle is very small. From the derived expressions, it is possible to compute the phase-bunching effect which occurs approximately at one trapping wavelength behind the leading edge of the interaction region. We deduce also the total amount of energy which is taken from (or given to) the wave by magnetospheric electrons in both cases of naturally existing or artificially injected particles. It is shown that these non-linear amplification processes can lead to very large VLF amplitude in the magnetosphere.     

Frequency-time structure of vlf emissions

Non-linear wave-particle interaction in the whistler mode in a non-uniform magnetic field is considered. The effect of the second order resonant particles arising due to nonuniformity of the ambient magnetic field is found to be dominant near the equatorial plane of the Earth. The equations describing the time development of the amplitude and phase of the wave packet have been solved numerically by computing the resonant particle current in a self-consistent manner. The growth of the waves because of trapped particles is found to be substantial for triggering an emission and the changes in phase lead to the frequency-time structure. It is capable of reproducing all kinds of frequency time structure as observed in the case of a morse pulse.     

A theory of VLF emissions

The work attempts to give a theoretical explanation of the triggering of VLF emissions by magnetospheric whistler morse pulses. First studied is the behaviour of resonant particles in a whistler wave train in an inhomogeneous medium. It is found that second order resonant particles become stably trapped in the wave. After 1–2 trapping periods such particles dominate the resonant particle distribution function, and produce large currents that are readily estimated.     

Rapid Reconnection and Compressible Plasma Waves

Magnetic reconnection causes the local non-linear decay of an infinitely thin current sheet, i.e., a tangential discontinuity, into large amplitude magnetohydrodynamic waves. This decay process propagates along the initial current sheet and induces linear wave perturbations in the surroundings. The Greens function for the self-consistent linear compressible plane wave problem is constructed and it is shown how to perform the convolution with some source function in form of a local reconnection pulse in an efficient way.     

The sideband instability of electrostatic waves in an inhomogeneous medium

The work deals with the resonant particle excitation of two electrostatic waves with closely spaced wave numbers, when there is an inhomogeneity present in the form of a spatially dependent wave number. Resonant particle behaviour in such a field is investigated and the resonant particle current is computed for a variety of cases. If the inhomogeneity is such that resonant particles see the wave numbers of the waves increasing, then it turns out that the wave of greatest wave number is preferentially amplified. If the gradient is reversed it is the opposite wave which grows. Thus when a narrow band electrostatic wave is subject to beam excitation, only one of the sideband waves is unstable.The theory is applied to the closely analogous problem of sideband formation in the case of triggering of VLF emissions by magnetospheric whistler pulses, and seems to account for much of the observed behaviour.     

Effects of dust charge fluctuations and deviations from isothermality of electrons on nonlinear dust ion-acoustic waves

The effects of dust charge fluctuations and deviations from isothermality of electrons are incorporated in the study of nonlinear dust ion-acoustic waves. Deviations from isothermality of electrons are included in this model as a result of nonlinear resonant interaction of the electrostatic wave potential with electrons during its evolution. The basic properties of stationary structures are studied by employing the reductive perturbation method, and conditions for the formation of small but finite amplitude dust ion-acoustic solitary waves in the space dusty plasma situations are clearly explained. It is shown that a more depletion of the background free electrons owing to the attachment of these electrons to the surface of the dust grains during the charging process can lead to the formation of solitary waves with smaller amplitude. Furthermore, effects of the dust charge fluctuation and deviations from isothermality of electrons show a non-uniform behavior for the amplitude of solitary waves in transition from the Boltzmann electron distribution to a trapped electron one. It is also found that the dust charge fluctuation caused by trapped as well as free electrons is a source of dissipation, and is responsible for the formation of the dust ion-acoustic shock waves.     

Partcle precipitation caused by a single whistler-mode wave injected into the magnetosphere

The resonant interaction of electrons with a coherent whistler-mode wave in the magnetosphere, and corresponding particle precipitation through the loss-cone, are considered. We show that, due to the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field, the phase untrapped resonant electrons play a basic role in the precipitation process. An effective change of their pitch-angles near the loss-cone is calculated and particle fluxes are estimated for quiet magnetospheric conditions (weak diffusion without the wave). It appears that observation of the precipitation caused by a single whistler-mode wave is within the scope of experimental possibilities. The duration of the precipitation process is of the order of the electron bounce period. It is also shown that precipitating current may produce an observable magnetospheric disturbance with a time characteristic of the order of the bounce period.     

Generalized adiabatic theory applied to the magnetotail current sheet

We use the generalized first adiabatic invariant, an extension of the magnetic moment for regions of large field gradients, to treat particles in the magnetotail current sheet. The equations of motion can be expressed in terms of drift parameters which vary slowly and smoothly at the drift rate, not at the gyration rate. The analysis leads to boundaries in phase space which form a generalized loss cone and separate particles drifting into and out of the layer from particles trapped within the layer. These boundaries can be used in the moment integrals for densities and currents when the drifting particles differ in temperature, or in other properties, from the trapped population, as has been suggested by observations. We give examples of how different kinds of particle orbits contribute to the spatial profiles of density and current and thus to the field structure of the current sheet. We find that the parallel pressure of the drifting particles must exceed the transverse pressure for self-consistent solutions to exist, and based on this result, we give examples of fully self-consistent solutions using bi-Maxwellian ion and Maxwellian electron distributions. We give a proof, using generalized adiabatic theory, of Cowley's (1978a) theorem that particles trapped in the current layer experience zero net drift.Paper dedicated to Professor Hannes Alfvén on the occasion of his 80th birthday, 30 May 1988.     

VLF two-wave-electron interactions in the magnetosphere

The mutual influence between two whistler mode waves, through cyclotron resonant interaction of each wave with the same set of energetic electrons, is analysed both theoretically and by computer simulations ; this two-wave interaction mechanism seems to be an important process in understanding recently observed phenomena in Siple Station VLF multi-wave injection experiments. A criterion is established to estimate the threshold for the critical frequency spacing (for given wave amplitudes) for a significant mutual interaction between two monochromatic waves to occur. This criterion is based on the overlap of coherence bandwidths associated with the trapping domains of each wave and it takes into account the geomagnetospheric medium inhomogeneity. The effects of a perturbing second wave on electrons trapped by a first wave is discussed, considering the general situation of varying-frequency waves, and a simulation model is used to track the motion of test-electrons in the two-waves field. Conditions leading to detrapping and subsequent trapping by the second wave of previously first-wave trapped electrons are analysed and suggest the possibility of this phenomenon to play an important role in frequency entrainment and energy exchange between two waves.     

Kinetic Alfven waves in plasma sheet boundary layer—particle aspect analysis

The particle aspect approach is adopted to investigate the trajectories of charged particles in the electromagnetic field of kinetic Alfven wave. Expressions are found for the dispersion relation, damping rate and associated currents in homogenous plasma. Kinetic effects of electrons and ions are included to study kinetic Alfven wave because both are important in the transition region. It is found that the ratio β of electron thermal energy density to magnetic field energy density and the ratio of ion to electron thermal temperature (T_i/T_e) affect the dispersion relation, damping-rate and associated currents in both cases (warm and cold electron limits). The treatment of kinetic Alfven wave instability is based on the assumption that the plasma consists of resonant and non-resonant particles. The resonant particles participate in an energy exchange process, whereas the non-resonant particles support the oscillatory motion of the wave.     

Non-linear localized ion-acoustic waves in electron–positron–ion plasmas with trapped and non-thermal electrons

For an unmagnetized collisionless electron–positron–ion plasma, the effects of trapped and non-thermal electron distributions are incorporated in the study of arbitrary amplitude ion-acoustic solitary structures. Both highly and weakly analyses are examined by deriving an energy integral equation involving the Sagdeev potential for the large amplitude limit, and obtaining the non-linear partial-differential equations for the small but finite amplitude limit. It is shown that there exist ion-acoustic solitary waves with qualitatively different structures in a way that depend on the population of trapped and non-thermal electrons. In the presence of trapped electrons, fully non-linear analyses show that plasma can support only arbitrary amplitude compressive solitary waves. On the other hand, a consideration of the fast or non-thermal electron distribution provides the possibility of the coexistence of large amplitude compressive and rarefactive solitary waves, whereas both of them are decoupled in the small amplitude limit. It is found that the effects of such electron distributions and positron concentration change the maximum values of the Mach number and the amplitude for which solitary waves can exist. Furthermore, the non-thermally distributed electrons provide a KdV equation in the small amplitude limit, whereas the trapped electrons give rise to a modified KdV equation which exhibits a stronger non-linearity.     

Obliquely propagating ion-acoustic waves in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma with trapped electrons

A theoretical investigation is carried out for understanding the basic features of oblique propagation of linear and nonlinear ion-acoustic waves subjected to an external magnetic field in an electron-positron-ion plasma which consists of a cold magnetized ion fluid, Boltzmann distributed positron, and electrons obeying a trapped distribution. In the linear regime, two dispersion curves are obtained. It is shown that the positron concentration causes the both modes to propagate with smaller phase velocities. Then, owing to the presence of resonant electrons, the modified Korteweg-de Vries equation describing the nonlinear dynamics of small but finite amplitude ion-acoustic waves is derived. It is found that the effects of external magnetic field (obliqueness), trapped electrons, positron concentration and temperature ratio significantly modify the basic features of solitary waves.     

Acceleration of Electrons and Protons in Reconnecting Current Sheets Including Single or Multiple X-points

Kinematic characteristics of electrons and protons in the magnetic reconnecting current sheet in the presence of a guide field are investigated. Particle trajectories are calculated for different values of the guide field by a test-particle calculation. The relationship between the final energy and the initial position has also been studied. We found that the addition of a guide field not only allows particles to get more energy and not only results in the separation of electrons and protons, but also causes the reconnecting electric field to selectively accelerate electrons and protons for different initial positions. The energy spectrum eventually obtained is the common power-law spectrum, and as the guide field increases, the index for the spectrum of electrons decreases rapidly. However, for a weak background magnetic field, proton spectra are not very sensitive to the guide field; but for a strong background field, the dependence of the spectrum index is similar to the electron spectrum. Meanwhile, kinematic characteristics of the accelerated particles in the current sheet including multiple X-points and O-points were also investigated. The result indicates that the existence of the multiple X- and O-points helps particles trapped in the accelerating region to gain more energy, and yields the double or multiple power-law feature.     

Kinetic Alfven wave in the presence of general loss-cone distribution function in inhomogeneous magnetoplasma—particle aspect analysis

Particle aspect analysis is extended for kinetic Alfven waves in an inhomogeneous magnetoplasma in the presence of a general loss-cone distribution function. The effect of finite Larmor radius is incorporated in the finite temperature anisotropic plasma. Expressions for the field-aligned current, perpendicular current (to B), dispersion relation, particle energy and growth rate are derived and effects of steepness of loss-cone distribution and plasma density inhomogeneity are discussed. The treatment of the kinetic Alfven wave instability is based on the assumption that the plasma consists of resonant and non-resonant particles. It is assumed that resonant particles support the oscillatory nature of the wave. The excitation of the wave is treated by the wave particle energy exchange method. The applicability of the investigation is discussed for auroral acceleration phenomena. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.     

Influence of arbitrarily charged dust and trapped electrons on propagation of localized dust ion-acoustic waves

A theoretical investigation is developed to study the existence, formation and basic properties of arbitrary amplitude dust ion-acoustic solitary potentials in a dusty plasma consisting of warm ions, trapped electrons and immobile negative (positive) dust particles. It is found a definite interval for the Mach number for which solitary waves exist and depend sensitively on the ion temperature and negative (positive) dust concentration. In addition, the effects of ion temperature, two oppositely charged dust species and resonant electrons on the shape of the solitary waves are also investigated extensively. For both cases of negative and positive dust grains, the effect of ion temperature is found to be destructive for the formation of localized structures. Further, the amplitude of the solitary structures decreases (increases) with the increase in the negative (positive) dust concentration.     

Dust drift solitary waves with superthermal electrons and ions

Linear and nonlinear dust drift waves are investigated in the presence of kappa distributed electrons and ions. The dispersion characteristics of linear waves show that the phase velocity decreases with the inclusion of highly energetic particles in the tail of the distribution. In the nonlinear regime, a nonlinear partial differential equation is obtained in the long wave length limit. A stationary solution of this equation in the form of solitary waves is discussed and noticed that the amplitude of the solitary pulse decreases with the increase of superthermal particle’s effect, and its width expands. Further, it is found that speed limit of the nonlinear structures is also modified in the non-Maxwellian plasma. Theoretically obtained results are applied to Saturn’s’ dusty plasma environment. It is also pointed out that the present results can be helpful for further understanding of space plasmas.     

Roles of Fast-Cyclotron and Alfvén-Cyclotron Waves for the Multi-Ion Solar Wind

Using linear Vlasov theory of plasma waves and quasi-linear theory of resonant wave–particle interaction, the dispersion relations and the electromagnetic field fluctuations of fast and Alfvén waves are studied for a low-beta multi-ion plasma in the inner corona. Their probable roles in heating and accelerating the solar wind via Landau and cyclotron resonances are quantified. In this paper, we assume that i) low-frequency Alfvén and fast waves, emanating from the solar surface, have the same spectral shape and the same amplitude of power spectral density (PSD); ii) these waves eventually reach ion cyclotron frequencies due to a turbulence cascade; iii) kinetic wave–particle interaction powers the solar wind. The existence of alpha particles in a dominant proton/electron plasma can trigger linear mode conversion between oblique fast-whistler and hybrid alpha–proton cyclotron waves. The fast-cyclotron waves undergo both alpha and proton cyclotron resonances. The alpha cyclotron resonance in fast-cyclotron waves is much stronger than that in Alfvén-cyclotron waves. For alpha cyclotron resonance, an oblique fast-cyclotron wave has a larger left-handed electric field fluctuation, a smaller wave number, a larger local wave amplitude, and a greater energization capability than a corresponding Alfvén-cyclotron wave at the same wave propagation angle θ, particularly at 80^°<θ<90^°. When Alfvén-cyclotron or fast-cyclotron waves are present, alpha particles are the chief energy recipient. The transition of preferential energization from alpha particles to protons may be self-modulated by a differential speed and a temperature anisotropy of alpha particles via the self-consistently evolving wave–particle interaction. Therefore, fast-cyclotron waves, as a result of linear mode coupling, constitute a potentially important mechanism for preferential energization of minor ions in the main acceleration region of the solar wind.     

The satellites of Jupiter as a source of very energetic magnetospheric particles

The Jovian satellites and ring are continuously bombarded by high-energy galacic cosmic rays and magnetospheric ions. Nuclear interactions will create very energetic neutrons and pions. The decay of some of these unstable particles within the Jovian magnetosphere wil result in trapped protons and ultrarelativistic electrons and positrons. Although this source is weak compared to those that yield lower-energy magnetospheric particles, it is expected to generate the most energetic Jovian particles. These processes are briefly described.