Physics of electron and plasma streams

Abstract

The physical properties of electron and plasma streams are discussed and classified in terms of three general dimensionless parameters. For electrons these parameters are; αe, the ratio of stream kinetic energy to the thermal energy of transverse motions; βe, the ratio of the electron pressure to the magnetic pressure produced by the longitudinal electron current; and νe, the line density multiplied by the classical electron radius. These three parameters have the quite general relation of αeβeνe approximately equal to 1. This general relation is used as the basis of an elementary and a descriptive study of electron beams and plasma streams.