Plasma Waves Research Articles

Statistical Survey of Interchange Events in the Jovian Magnetosphere Using Juno Observations

AbstractInterchange instability is known to drive fast radial transport of electrons and ions in Jupiter's inner and middle magnetosphere. In this study, we conduct a statistical survey to evaluate the properties of energetic particles and plasma waves during interchange events using Juno data from 2016 to 2023. We present representative examples of interchange events followed by a statistical analysis of the spatial distribution, duration and spatial extent. Our survey indicates that interchange instability is predominant at M‐shells from 6 to 26, peaking near 17 with an average duration of minutes and a corresponding M‐shell width of <∼0.05. During interchange events, the associated plasma waves, such as whistler‐mode, Z‐mode, and electron cyclotron harmonic waves exhibit a distinct preferential location. These findings provide valuable insights into particle transport and the source region of plasma waves in the Jovian magnetosphere, as well as in other magnetized planets within and beyond our solar system.

Oblique collision of low-frequency dust-acoustic solitons and rogue waves in a multi-dimensional anisotropic self-gravitating electron-depleted complex plasmas

Oblique collision of low-frequency dust-acoustic solitons and rogue waves in a multi-dimensional anisotropic self-gravitating electron-depleted complex plasmas

Electrostatic Waves and Electron Holes in Simulations of Low-Mach Quasi-perpendicular Shocks

Collisionless low-Mach-number shocks are abundant in astrophysical and space plasma environments, exhibiting complex wave activity and wave–particle interactions. In this paper, we present 2D Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations of quasi-perpendicular nonrelativistic (v sh ≈ (5500–22000) km s−1) low-Mach-number shocks, with a specific focus on studying electrostatic waves in the shock ramp and precursor regions. In these shocks, an ion-scale oblique whistler wave creates a configuration with two hot counterstreaming electron beams, which drive unstable electron acoustic waves (EAWs) that can turn into electrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) at the late stage of their evolution. By conducting simulations with periodic boundaries, we show that the EAW properties agree with linear dispersion analysis. The characteristics of ESWs in shock simulations, including their wavelength and amplitude, depend on the shock velocity. When extrapolated to shocks with realistic velocities (v sh ≈ 300 km s−1), the ESW wavelength is reduced to one-tenth of the electron skin depth and the ESW amplitude is anticipated to surpass that of the quasi-static electric field by more than a factor of 100. These theoretical predictions may explain a discrepancy, between PIC and satellite measurements, in the relative amplitude of high- and low-frequency electric field fluctuations.

Origin of the type III radiation observed near the Sun

Aims. We investigate processes associated with the generation of type III radiation using Parker Solar Probe measurements. Methods. We measured the amplitudes and phase velocities of electric and magnetic fields and their associated plasma density fluctuations. Results. 1. There are slow electrostatic waves near the Langmuir frequency and at as many as six harmonics, the number of which increases with the amplitude of the Langmuir wave. Their electrostatic nature is shown by measurements of the plasma density fluctuations. From these density fluctuations and the electric field magnitude, the k-value of the Langmuir wave is estimated to be 0.14 and kλd = 0.4. Even with the large uncertainty in this quantity (more than a factor of two), the phase velocity of the Langmuir wave was < 10 000 km/s. 2. The electromagnetic wave near the Langmuir frequency has a phase velocity lower than 50 000 km/s. 3. We cannot determine whether there are electromagnetic waves at the harmonics of the Langmuir frequency. If they existed, their magnetic field components would be below the noise level of the measurement. 4. The rapid (less than one millisecond) amplitude variations typical of the Langmuir wave and its harmonics are artifacts resulting from the addition of two waves, one of which has small frequency variations that arise because the wave travels through density irregularities. None of these results are expected in or consistent with the conventional model of the three-wave interaction of two counter-streaming Langmuir waves that coalesce to produce the type III wave. They are consistent with a new model in which electrostatic antenna waves are produced at the harmonics by radiation of the Langmuir wave, after which at least the first harmonic wave evolved through density irregularities such that its wave number decreased and it became the type III radiation.

On the propagation of dynamical waves in complex cometary plasma environments with thermal heavy ions and non-extensive light species

A variety of dust acoustic (DA) waves like solitons, shock waves, and double-layer structures can generate and propagate in dusty plasma systems depending on the plasma composition and their particle distributions. In this paper, a refined fluid model is proposed to provide a general description of all possible DA waves that may propagate in complex dusty plasmas with thermally distributed heavy ions and non-extensive light species. The DA waves are characterized using the Further-Burger equation with three newly induced arbitrary parameters, enabling the identification of the different plasma waves. The DA wave's structures are found to be highly sensitive to the thermal parameter σ of the heavy ions and the non-extensive parameter “q” of the light species. Moreover, these two parameters act as key factors that control the polarity of the waves around their critical values, i.e., around σ = 0.11 and “q = 1.146.” The potential relevance of our results in space and astrophysics plasma setups is briefly discussed.

Temporally Resolved Type III Solar Radio Bursts in the Frequency Range 3–13 MHz

Radio observations from space allow to characterize solar radio bursts below the ionospheric cutoff, which are otherwise inaccessible, but suffer from low, insufficient temporal resolution. In this Letter we present novel, high-temporal resolution observations of type III solar radio bursts in the range 3–13 MHz. A dedicated configuration of the Radio and Plasma Waves (RPW) High Frequency Receiver (HFR) on the Solar Orbiter mission, allowing for a temporal resolution as high as ∼0.07 s (up to 2 orders of magnitude better than any other spacecraft measurements), provides for the very first time resolved measurements of the typical decay time values in this frequency range. The comparison of data with different time resolutions and acquired at different radial distances indicates that discrepancies with decay time values provided in previous studies are only due to the insufficient time resolution not allowing to accurately characterize decay times in this frequency range. The statistical analysis on a large sample of ∼500 type III radio bursts shows a power low decay time trend with a spectral index of −0.75 ± 0.03 when the median values for each frequency are considered. When these results are combined with previous observations, referring to frequencies outside the considered range, a spectral index of −1.00 ± 0.01 is found in the range ∼0.05–300 MHz, compatible with the presence of radio-wave scattering between 1 and 100 R ☉.

Enhanced pointing and charge properties of electron beams from few-TW laser wakefield acceleration with an asymmetric density profile in a sub-millimeter nitrogen gas jet

This work demonstrates the feasibility of creating a sub-millimeter, subsonic nitrogen gas jet using a 178-μm diameter orifice to conduct laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) with 1-TW, 40-fs laser pulses. More importantly, our findings reveal that using a blade to impede part of the gas flow and create an asymmetric density profile with a shortened down-ramp leads to a notable reduction in pointing fluctuations and an increase in the total charge of the output electron beams. As evidenced by the corresponding particle-in-cell simulation, the laser intensity is more effectively sustained toward the downstream end of the shaped gas jet, allowing for effective excitation of low-amplitude plasma waves that help preserve the accelerated electrons over the target rear side. In contrast, the pulse intensity drops significantly within the rear side of the unshaped gas jet, resulting in continuously diminishing plasma waves and decreased beam charge. The steeper gradient of the density down-ramp in the shaped gas jet also leads to a more rapid increase in the plasma wavelength over a reduced propagation distance, which helps mitigate the dephasing of accelerated electrons and increase the charge at the high-energy side of the spectrum. Our study paves the way for the future development of few-TW LWFA using a subsonic gas jet with sharp edges to further enhance the properties of output electron beams.

Singularity formation of hydromagnetic waves in cold plasma

We study C1 blow-up of the compressible fluid model introduced by Gardner and Morikawa, which describes the dynamics of a magnetized cold plasma. We propose sufficient conditions that lead to C1 blow-up. In particular, we find that smooth solutions can break down in finite time even if the gradient of initial velocity is identically zero. The density and the gradient of the velocity become unbounded as time approaches the lifespan of the smooth solution. The Lagrangian formulation reduces the singularity formation problem to finding a zero of the associated second-order ODE.

Observation of Standing Slow Magneto-acoustic Waves in a Flaring Active Region Corona Loop

Intensity fluctuations are frequently observed in different regions and structures of the solar corona. These fluctuations may be caused by magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) waves in coronal plasma. MHD waves are prime candidates for the dynamics, energy transfer, and anomalous temperature of the solar corona. In this paper, analysis is conducted on intensity and temperature fluctuations along the active region coronal loop (NOAA AR 13599) near solar flares. The intensity and temperature as functions of time and distance along the loop are extracted using images captured by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) space telescope. To observe and comprehend the causes of intensity and temperature fluctuations, after conducting initial processing, and applying spatial and temporal frequency filters to data, enhanced distance-time maps of these variables are drawn. The space-time maps of intensities show standing oscillations at wavelengths of 171, 193, and 211 Å with greater precision and clarity than earlier findings. The amplitude of these standing oscillations (waves) decreases and increases over time. The average values of the oscillation period, damping time, damping quality, projected wavelength, and projected phase speed of standing intensity oscillations are in the range of 15–18 minutes, 24–31 minutes, 1.46″–2″, 132″–134″, and 81–100 km s−1, respectively. Also, the differential emission measure peak temperature values along the loop are found in the range of 0.51–3.98 MK, using six AIA passbands, including 94, 131, 171, 193, 211, and 335 Å. Based on the values of oscillation periods, phase speeds, damping time, and damping quality, it is inferred that the fluctuations in intensity are related to standing slow magneto-acoustic waves with weak damping.

On acoustic solitary waves in a multispecies degenerate relativistic magnetized plasma using physics informed neural networks

In this paper, we investigate the nonlinear electrostatic wave propagation in a two-dimensional magnetized plasma. The plasma consists of electron and positron components with relativistic degeneracy and stationary ions for neutralizing its background. Using the basic equations for this type of plasma in combination with the reductive perturbation method, we derived the Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation using the Lorentz transformation stretching method (LT). For the first time, we compared the results of the Galilean transformation stretching method (GT) and the LT method to investigate the effect of plasma parameters, such as the relativistic degeneracy parameter of electron particles (re0), the density ratio of ion to electrons (δ), and the normalized electron cyclotron (Ωe), on the amplitude and width of the wave solutions. The plasma parameters used in this research are representative of compact astrophysical objects. Numerical results showed that the amplitude of wave solutions obtained by the LT method is smaller than the GT method, but the width is greater. We provide a physical explanation for these differences. Furthermore, we present a physics-informed neural network (PINN) approach to directly recover the intrinsic nonlinear dynamics from spatiotemporal data. The PINN model uses a deep neural network constrained by the governing equations to learn the optimal parameters, with the aim of enhancing the predictive capabilities of the system. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the propagation of nonlinear waves in white dwarfs, where relativistic effects are significant. These findings could substantially advance the development of emerging machine learning applications in astrophysics.

Full-wave simulations on helicon and parasitic excitation of slow waves near the edge plasma

Helicon waves are thought to be promising in various tokamaks, such as DIII-D, because they can penetrate reactor-grade high-density cores and drive the off-axis current with higher efficiency. In the frequency regime ∼ 476 MHz, both slow electrostatic and fast electromagnetic helicon waves can coexist in DIII-D. If the antenna parasitically excites the slow mode, these waves can propagate along the magnetic field line into the scrape-off layer (SOL). Although the importance of the misalignment of the Faraday screen and the electron density in the SOL on the excitation and propagation of slow modes is well known, the conditions for minimizing slow mode excitation have yet to be optimized. Using the Petra-M simulation code in the 2D domain, we analyze the effects of the misalignment of the antenna in the poloidal direction, the misalignment of the Faraday screen in the toroidal direction, and the density in front of the antenna on slow mode generation. Our results suggest that the misalignment of the Faraday screen is a critical factor in reducing the slow mode and that the misalignment angle should be below ∼ 5° to minimize the slow wave excitation. When the electron density is higher than 3.5×1018 m−3 in the SOL, the generation of the slow mode from the antenna is minimized and unaffected by the misalignment of the Faraday screen.

202 - Erectile dysfunction treatment by platelet-rich plasma and extracorporeal shock wave therapy

202 - Erectile dysfunction treatment by platelet-rich plasma and extracorporeal shock wave therapy

Electron Shock Drift Acceleration at a Low-Mach-number, Low-plasma-beta Quasi-perpendicular Shock

Shock drift acceleration (SDA) plays an important role in generating high-energy electrons at quasi-perpendicular shocks, but its efficiency in low-beta plasmas is questionable. In this article, we perform a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of a low-Mach-number, low-plasma-beta quasi-perpendicular shock, and find that the electron cyclotron drift instability is unstable at the leading edge of the shock foot, which is excited by the relative drift between the shock-reflected ions and the incident electrons. The electrostatic waves triggered by the electron cyclotron drift instability can scatter and heat the incident electrons, which facilitates their escape from the shock’s loss cone. These electrons are then reflected by the shock and energized by SDA. In this way, the acceleration efficiency of SDA at low-plasma-beta quasi-perpendicular shocks is highly enhanced.

3He and Fe Spectral Properties in 3He-rich Solar Energetic Particle Events

We have surveyed 3He-rich events on the Solar Orbiter mission from 2020 April to 2024 April, selecting isolated injections whose rollover 3He spectral shape is presumed to represent the initial acceleration state, unprocessed by subsequent activity such as coronal mass ejections or jets. A main goal has been to find relationships between the spectra of 3He and heavy ions C–Fe, in order to explore a common acceleration mechanism in spite of the fact that these events show 3He enrichments of up to ∼104, while the heavy-ion enrichment is rarely larger than ∼10. Selecting 34 3He injections, we find that heavy ions are always present, and arrive at the same time as the 3He signaling a common origin. Concentrating on Fe since it is a minor ion but with higher abundance than many others, we find its spectral shape and intensity is similar to 3He. In ∼two-thirds of the cases, if the 3He spectrum is shifted to lower energy by a factor 3.0 ± 1.3, it nearly coincides with the Fe spectrum, illustrating their close connection. Several plasma wave turbulence models have calculated spectra that also show the ion rollovers around 1 MeV nucleon−1. The unique mass-to-charge ratio of 3He allows it to interact more efficiently with the turbulence, thereby gaining several times more energy per nucleon than the other heavy ions. In the spectral rollover region this can lead to the observed enormous enhancements of 3He. The acceleration appears to be associated with magnetic reconnection in emerging flux regions on the Sun.

RSM-Based Optimization Analysis for Cold Plasma and Ultrasound-Assisted Drying of Caraway Seed.

In this study, the hot-air drying of caraway seeds was enhanced using two nonthermal physical field technologies: cold plasma (CP) and ultrasonic waves (US). Air drying temperatures of 35, 45, and 55 °C with CP pretreatment exposure times (CPt) of 25 and 50 s were used. When convective drying was accompanied by US, power levels (USp) of 60, 120, and 180 W were applied. Experimentally, the most effective contribution was found by using both CP pretreatment (25 s) and US (180 W), in which the maximum decreases of 31% and 39% were estimated for the drying period and specific energy consumption, respectively. The total color change, the rupture force, TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity were also estimated for evaluating the quality of dried products. In a CP-US-assisted drying program (25 s, 180 W), the minimum change in color and the rupture force were found to be 6.40 N and 20.21 N, respectively. Compared to the pure air drying, the combined application of CP and US resulted in a mean increase of 53.2, 43.6, and 24.01% in TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity of extracts at the temperature of 35 °C. Based on the response surface methodology (RSM) approach and obtained experimental data, accurate mathematical predictive models were developed for finding the optimal drying condition. The optimization process revealed that 39 °C, 180 W, and 23 s resulted in a desirability of 0.78 for drying caraway seeds.

Excitation of electrostatic lower hybrid wave by nonlinear interaction of hermite cosh-gaussian and cosh-gaussian laser beams in collisional plasma embedded with static magnetic field

Excitation of electrostatic lower hybrid wave by nonlinear interaction of hermite cosh-gaussian and cosh-gaussian laser beams in collisional plasma embedded with static magnetic field

The onset of parametric decay of lower hybrid waves during lower hybrid current drive experiments on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

Abstract An ad hoc calculation is presented to interpret the growth of sideband waves during lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). We adopt the solution of the non-linear dispersion relation for parametric instabilities to describe the growth rate of ion cyclotron quasi-modes (ICQMs) in the peripheral plasma, and use the WKB solution of the propagation of electrostatic waves in two dimensions to model the variation of the electric field in the scrape-off-layer (SOL). We then calculate the growth rates and amplification factors of the sideband waves associated with ICQM in the parallel and perpendicular coupling limits. The onset and substantial growth of the first down-shifted sideband of lower hybrid waves (LHWs) are associated with elevation of the plasma density in the outer SOL where the growth rate of ICQM in the parallel coupling limit increases sharply after the density is elevated. The peak frequencies associated with the first harmonic of ICQM obtained from calculating the amplification factors in the parallel coupling limit ( A para ) agree very well with the observed frequencies of the first down-shifted sideband of 2.45 GHz LHWs in EAST pulse 43 772 and 86 521. The consistency between the calculation and the observation indicates that the sideband waves are associated with parametric decay instability of ICQM excited in the outer SOL through parallel coupling. The amplitude of A para obtained from a single pass of LHWs through the SOL of EAST is, however, one order of magnitude smaller than unity, meaning that it remains elusive whether the substantial growth of sideband waves mainly occurs in front of the antenna or requires multiple passes of LHWs across the SOL region.

Non-Linear Plasma Wave Dynamics: Investigating Chaos in Dynamical Systems

This work addresses the significant issue of plasma waves interacting with non-linear dynamical systems in both perturbed and unperturbed states, as modeled by the generalized Whitham–Broer–Kaup–Boussinesq–Kupershmidt (WBK-BK) Equations. We investigate analytical solutions and the subsequent emergence of chaos within these systems. Initially, we apply advanced mathematical techniques, including the transform method and the G′G2 method. These methods allow us to derive new precise solutions and enhance our understanding of the non-linear processes dominating plasma wave dynamics. Through a systematic analysis, we identify the conditions under which the system transitions from orderly patterns to chaotic behavior. This investigation provides valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms of non-linear wave propagation in plasmas. Our results highlight the dynamic interplay between non-linearity and variation, leading to chaos, which may be useful in predicting and potentially controlling similar phenomena in practical applications.

A Theoretical Approach to the Investigation of Electrostatic Plasma Waves in Laser Pulse Interaction with Hypothetical Nonuniform Quantum Electron–Positron Magnetoplasma

A Theoretical Approach to the Investigation of Electrostatic Plasma Waves in Laser Pulse Interaction with Hypothetical Nonuniform Quantum Electron–Positron Magnetoplasma

Effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma injection on rotator cuff calcific tendinitis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundRotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT) is a common shoulder disease whose main symptoms include shoulder pain, limited mobility, and calcification deposits in the shoulder. Traditional treatment methods have certain limitations, so finding new treatment methods has become the focus of research. Extracorporeal shock wave (ESW) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments have attracted much attention due to their non-invasive and tissue repair-promoting properties; however, the efficacy of their combined treatment in RCCT remains unclear.MethodsThis study is designed as a single-center, assessment-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial with three parallel groups. Sixty subjects will be recruited and randomly divided into the ESW group, PRP group, and ESW combined with PRP group, in a 1:1:1 ratio. The entire intervention period is 4 weeks, and the follow-up period is 4 weeks. Outcomes will be measured at baseline (T0), after 1 week of intervention (T1), after 2 weeks of intervention (T2), after 4 weeks of intervention (T3), and after an additional 4 weeks of follow-up period (T4). The primary endpoint is the VAS score. Secondary endpoints are ASES, CMS, UCLA, and the location and size of calcified areas.DiscussionThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy of ESW therapy combined with PRP in treating RCCT. We compare the effects of single and combined treatments to explore their impact on disease symptoms, functional improvement, and calcification regression. This provides a scientific basis for identifying more effective treatment options.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06372600. Registered on April 17, 2024; version 1.