Normal modes of a loss cone plasma slab with steep density gradient

Abstract

The electrostatic flute-like normal modes were found for a collisionless loss cone plasma in a uniform magnetic field with density varying sinusoidally in one direction in space. A local method, appropriate to kL≫1, where k is the wavenumber and L is the scale length, and a nonlocal method, appropriate to kL≲1, where both used; the ion Larmor radius ai was not assumed to be small. The usual drift cone mode was found when ai≪L; other instabilities were found for ai≳L. In principle, the methods could be applied to other configurations of plasma.