Instability of field-aligned electron–cyclotron waves in a magnetic mirror plasma with anisotropic temperature

Abstract

Dispersion characteristics have been analysed for field-aligned electron–cyclotron waves (also known as right-hand polarized waves, extraordinary waves or whistlers) in a cylindrical magnetic mirror plasma including electrons with anisotropic temperature. It is shown that the instability of these waves is possible only in the range below the minimal electron–cyclotron frequency, which is much lower than the gyrotron frequency used for electron–cyclotron resonance power input into the plasma, under the condition where the perpendicular temperature of the resonant electrons is larger than their parallel temperature. The growth rates of whistler instability in the two magnetized plasma models, where the stationary magnetic field is either uniform or has a non-uniform magnetic mirror configuration, are compared.

Toroidicity effects on the absorption of IC waves by electrons

“…It has been known for some time that toroidicity influences the absorption of the compressional wave (also known as a magnetosonic, or fast wave (FW)) by electrons in the ion cyclotron (IC) and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) range of frequencies [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. These authors have pointed out that the poloidal modulation of the parallel velocity of charged particles modifies the longitudinal permeability of the plasma (whose imaginary part describes electron Landau damping of electrostatic waves).…”