On the kinetic theory of QPEMIC instabilities in weakly ionized plasmas placed in non-parallel fields

Abstract

Quasi-perpendicular electromagnetic ion-cyclotron (QPEMIC) modes and instabilities are studied, on the ground of linear theory of perturbations and kinetic equations with BGK collision integrals, in weakly ionized, low-β and moderately non-isothermal plasmas placed in non-parallel electric and magnetic fields. The magnetization is assumed to be sufficiently high to cut off the perpendicular steady-state current. Special attention is given to evaluation of magnitudes of the threshold drifts required for the onset of instabilities. It is found that these drifts are smaller than those for the corresponding quasi-perpendicular electrostatic ion-cyclotron (QPESIC) instabilities studied previously for the same type of plasmas. Both QPEMIC and QPESIC threshold drifts exhibit the same behavioural pattern if the order of harmonic, magnetization, non-isothermality or the angle between the fields are varied. An increase of the angle between the fields lowers the threshold drifts, which means that the presence of u⊥ (or E⊥) facilitates the excitation of both QPEMIC and QPESIC instabilities. The QPEMIC threshold drifts are found to depend on the overall gas pressure, and to decrease as the pressure is lowered, which is a feature not found in the QPESIC case. The discrepancies between the QPEMIC and QPESIC threshold drifts increase if the pressure decreases, or if magnetization, degree of ionization or ion charge number increase.