Quasilinear theory of general electromagnetic fluctuations in unmagnetized plasmas

Abstract

The general quasilinear Fokker-Planck kinetic equation for the plasma particle distribution functions in unmagnetized plasmas is derived, making no restrictions on the frequency of the electromagnetic fluctuations. The derived kinetic particle equation complements our earlier study of the general fluctuation's kinetic equation. For collective plasma eigenmodes and gyrotropic particle distribution functions, the two coupled kinetic equations describe the self-consistent dynamical evolution of the plasma. The limit of weakly damped collective modes correctly reproduces the well-known textbook kinetic particle equation with longitudinal Langmuir and ion-acoustic fluctuations, demonstrating, in particular, the resonant nature of parallel momentum diffusion of particles. In the limit of aperiodic modes, the Fokker-Planck equation contains the nonresonant diffusion of particles in momentum and the parallel and perpendicular momentum drag coefficients. As an application these drag and diffusion coefficients are calculated for extragalactic cosmic ray particles propagating in the unmagnetized intergalactic medium. Whereas for all cosmic rays, the perpendicular momentum diffusion in intergalactic aperiodic fluctuations is negligibly small; cosmic ray protons with energies below 105 GeV are affected by the plasma drag.