Alfvénic oscillations of the electron distribution function: Linear theory and experimental measurements

J. W. R Schroeder; F Skiff; G. G Howes; C. A Kletzing; T. A Carter; S Dorfman

doi:10.1063/1.4936466

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Alfvénic oscillations of the electron distribution function: Linear theory and experimental measurements

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Alfvénic oscillations of the electron distribution function: Linear theory and experimental measurements

J. W. R Schroeder, F Skiff, G. G Howes, C. A Kletzing, T. A Carter and S Dorfman

AIP conference proceedings, Vol.1689(1)

12/10/2015

DOI: 10.1063/1.4936466

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Abstract

Wave propagation can be an accurate method for determining material properties. High frequency whistler mode waves (0.7 < ω/|Ω{sub ce}| < 1) in an overdense plasma (ω{sub pe} > |Ω{sub ce}|) are damped primarily by Doppler-shifted electron cyclotron resonance. A kinetic description of whistler mode propagation parallel to the background magnetic field shows that damping is proportional to the parallel electron distribution function. This property enables an experimental determination of the parallel electron distribution function using a measurement of whistler mode wave absorption. The whistler mode wave absorption diagnostic uses this technique on UCLA’s Large Plasma Device (LaPD) to measure the distribution of high energy electrons (5 − 10v{sub te}) with 0.1% precision. The accuracy is limited by systematic effects that need to be considered carefully. Ongoing research uses this diagnostic to investigate the effect of inertial Alfvén waves on the electron distribution function. Results presented here verify experimentally the linear effects of inertial Alfvén waves on the reduced electron distribution function, a necessary step before nonlinear physics can be tested. Ongoing experiments with the whistler mode wave absorption diagnostic are making progress toward the first direct detection of electrons nonlinearly accelerated by inertial Alfvén waves, a process believed to play an important role in auroral generation.

Absorption

Oscillations

ACCURACY

ALFVEN WAVES

CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS

DIAGNOSTIC USES

DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS

DOPPLER EFFECT

ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE

ELECTRONS

MAGNETIC FIELDS

NONLINEAR PROBLEMS

PLASMA

WAVE PROPAGATION

WHISTLER INSTABILITY

Details

Title: Subtitle: Alfvénic oscillations of the electron distribution function: Linear theory and experimental measurements
Creators: J. W. R Schroeder
F Skiff
G. G Howes
C. A Kletzing - University of Iowa
T. A Carter
S Dorfman - Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1547 (United States)
Resource Type: Conference proceeding
Publication Details: AIP conference proceedings, Vol.1689(1)
DOI: 10.1063/1.4936466
ISSN: 0094-243X
eISSN: 1551-7616
Language: English
Date published: 12/10/2015
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984199710502771

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