Low-frequency Kinetic Alfven Wave Research Articles

An iterative method to include spatial dispersion for waves in nonuniform plasmas using wavelet decomposition

A novel method for solving wave equations with spatial dispersion is presented, suitable for applications to ion cyclotron resonance heating. The method splits the wave operator into a dispersive and a non-dispersive part. The latter can be inverted with e.g. finite element methods. The spatial dispersion is evaluated using a wavelet representation of the dielectric kernel and added by means of iteration. The method has been successfully tested on a low frequency kinetic Alfven wave with second order Larmor radius effects in a nonuniform plasma slab.

Role of nonlinear localized structures and turbulence in magnetized plasma

In the present study, we have analyzed the field localization of kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) due to the presence of background density perturbation, which are assumed to be originated by the three dimensionally propagating low frequency KAW. These localized structures play an important role for energy transportation at smaller scales in the dispersion range of magnetic power spectrum. For the present model, governing dynamic equations of high frequency pump KAW and low frequency KAW has been derived by considering ponderomotive nonlinearity. Further, these coupled equations have been numerically solved to analyze the resulting localized structures of pump KAW and magnetic power spectrum in the magnetopause regime. Numerically calculated spectrum exhibits inertial range having spectral index of \(-3/2\) followed by steeper scaling; this steepening in the turbulent spectrum is a signature of energy transportation from larger to smaller scales. In this way, the proposed mechanism, which is based on nonlinear wave-wave interaction, may be useful for understanding the particle acceleration and turbulence in magnetopause.

Study of nonlinear interaction of waves through plasma-maser in magnetosphere plasma

A theoretical study is made on the generation mechanism of electrostatic Bernstein mode wave in the presence of electromagnetic Kinetic Alfven wave turbulence in magnetized inhomogeneous plasma on the basis of plasma-maser interaction. It is shown that a test high-frequency electrostatic Bernstein mode wave is unstable in the presence of low-frequency Kinetic Alfven wave turbulence. Because of the universal existence of the Kinetic Alfven waves in large-scale plasmas, the result has potential importance in space and astrophysical radiation process. The growth rate of the test high-frequency Bernstein mode wave is obtained with the involvement of spatial density gradient parameter. A comparative study on the role of density gradient in the generation of Bernstein mode on the basis of plasma-maser effect is presented.

On capture and acceleration of heavy ions (α-particle) in high-speed solar wind

The α-particles and other heavy ions, as well as a few protons are observed to be faster than the main part of protons by about the local Alfven speed in the high-speed solar wind. It is suggested that when the velocity of the solar wind is equal to the local Alfven velocity, another low-frequency kinetic Alfven wave will be excitated, and trap all the α-particles and a few protons, so these ions have a local Alfven velocity faster than the other parts of the solar wind. The undamping kinetic Alfven waves change into low-frequency Alfven solitons in the solar wind. This model can explain the observation and give the conditions of wave excitated and ions trapped.

Plasma‐Maser Instability of Bernstein Mode in Presence of Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence

AbstractA theoretical study is made on the amplification mechanism of electrostatic Bernstein mode wave in presence of kinetic Alfven wave turbulence in a magnetized plasma on the basis of plasma‐maser interaction. It is shown that a test high frequency electrostativ Bernstein mode wave is unstable in the presence of low frequency kinetic Alfven wave turbulence. The growth rate of the Bernstein wave vanishes only in an unmagnetized plasma. Because of the universal existence of the kinetic Alfven waves in large scale plasmas, the results have potential importance in space and astrophysical radiation processes.

Plasma-maser interaction of langmuir wave with kinetic Alfvén wave turbulence

A theoretical study is made on the generation mechanism of Langmuir mode wave in the presence of kinetic Alfven wave turbulence in a magnetized plasma on the basis of plasma-maser interaction. It is shown that a test high frequency Langmuir mode wave is unstable in the presence of low frequency kinetic Alfven wave turbulence. The growth of the Langmuir wave occurs due to direct and polarization coupling terms. Because of the universal existence of the kinetic Alfven waves in large scale plasmas, the results have potential importance in space and astrophysical radiation processes.