Journal article
Alfvén wave collapse and the stability of a relativistic electron beam in a magnetized astrophysical plasma
The Astrophysical journal, Vol.272(1), pp.273-278
1983
DOI: 10.1086/161290
Abstract
The generation of Alfven waves by magnetic field-aligned electron streams, and the evolution of such streams under the action of the self-generated waves, remains an important question in theoretical radio astronomy. In this paper a simple derivation is presented of a time scale on which a nonlinear Alfven wave packet collapses. This time scale is compared with the linear growth and quasi-linear relaxation time scales for conditions appropriate to an extragalactic radio source. The nonlinear time scale can be comparable to the linear and quasi-linear time scales, which suggests that nonlinear effects may stabilize this instability and permit the propagation of anisotropic electron streams.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Alfvén wave collapse and the stability of a relativistic electron beam in a magnetized astrophysical plasma
- Creators
- S. R Spangler - Univ. Iowa, dep. physics astronomyJ. P Sheerin - Univ. Iowa, dep. physics astronomy
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, Vol.272(1), pp.273-278
- DOI
- 10.1086/161290
- ISSN
- 0004-637X
- eISSN
- 1538-4357
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 1983
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984200040802771
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