Ion Acceleration by the Relativistic Two-Stream Instability

Abstract

Through theoretical analysis and computer simulation, one finds that a pinched relativistic electron beam in a plasma interacts strongly with plasma ions by means of the two-stream instability. Due both to the low phase velocity of the unstable waves and to their subsequent non-linear collapse, ions are accelerated to very high energies. This process is suggested as a possible explanation for experimentally observed collective ion acceleration by electron beams. (auth)