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At least 847 records · Page 47

Nonlinear beam generated plasma waves as a source for enhanced plasma and ion acoustic lines

Observations by, for instance, the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) demonstrate that the symmetry of the naturally occurring ion line in the polar ionosphere can be broken by an enhanced, nonthermal, level of fluctuations (naturally enhanced ion-acoustic lines, NEIALs). It was in many cases found that the entire ion spectrum can be distorted, also with the appearance of a third line, corresponding to a propagation velocity significantly slower than the ion acoustic sound speed. It has been argued that selective decay of beam excited primary Langmuir waves can explain some phenomena similar to those observed. We consider a related model, suggesting that a primary nonlinear process can be an oscillating two-stream instability, generating a forced low frequency mode that does not obey any ion sound dispersion relation. At later times, the decay of Langmuir waves can give rise also to enhanced asymmetric ion lines. The analysis is based on numerical results, where the initial Langmuir waves are excited by a cold dilute electron beam. By this numerical approach, we can detect fine details of the physical processes, in particular, demonstrate a strong space-time intermittency of the electron waves in agreement with observations. Our code solves the full Vlasov equation for electrons and ions, with the dynamics coupled through the electrostatic field derived from Poisson's equation. The analysis distinguishes the dynamics of the background and beam electrons. This distinction simplifies the analysis for the formulation of the weakly nonlinear analytical model for the oscillating two-stream instability. The results have general applications beyond their relevance for the ionospheric observations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Electron-acoustic solitary waves in the presence of a suprathermal electron component

The nonlinear dynamics of electron-acoustic localized structures in a collisionless and unmagnetized plasma consisting of ''cool'' inertial electrons, ''hot'' electrons having a kappa distribution, and stationary ions is studied. The inertialess hot electron distribution thus has a long-tailed suprathermal (non-Maxwellian) form. A dispersion relation is derived for linear electron-acoustic waves. They show a strong dependence of the charge screening mechanism on excess suprathermality (through {kappa}). A nonlinear pseudopotential technique is employed to investigate the occurrence of stationary-profile solitary waves, focusing on how their characteristics depend on the spectral index {kappa}, and the hot-to-cool electron temperature and density ratios. Only negative polarity solitary waves are found to exist, in a parameter region which becomes narrower as deviation from the Maxwellian (suprathermality) increases, while the soliton amplitude at fixed soliton speed increases. However, for a constant value of the true Mach number, the amplitude decreases for decreasing {kappa}.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Ion-acoustic solitons in negative ion plasma with two-electron temperature distributions

Ion-acoustic solitons in a warm positive and negative ion species with different masses, concentrations, and charge states with two electron temperature distributions are studied. Using reductive perturbation method, Korteweg de-Vries (KdV) and modified-KdV (m-KdV) equations are derived for the system. The soliton solution of the KdV and m-KdV equations is discussed in detail. It is found that if the ions have finite temperatures, then there exist two types of modes, namely slow and fast ion-acoustic modes. It is also investigated that the parameter determining the nature of soliton (i.e., whether the system will support compressive or rarefactive solitons) is different for slow and fast modes. For the slow mode, the parameter is the relative temperature of the two ion species; whereas for the fast mode, it is the relative concentration of the two ion species. At a critical concentration of negative ions, both compressive and rarefactive solitons coexist. The amplitude and width of the solitons are discussed in detail at critical concentration for m-KdV solitons. The effect of the relative temperature of the two-electron and cold-electron concentration on the characteristics of the solitons are also discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Secondary dust density waves excited by nonlinear dust acoustic waves

Secondary dust density waves were observed in conjunction with high amplitude (n{sub d}/n{sub d0}>2) dust acoustic waves (DAW) that were spontaneously excited in a dc glow discharge dusty plasma in the moderately coupled, {Gamma}{approx}1, state. The high amplitude dust acoustic waves produced large dust particle oscillations, displacements, and trapping. Secondary dust density waves were excited in the wave troughs of the high amplitude DAWs. The waveforms, amplitudes, wavelengths, and wave speeds of the primary DAWs and the secondary waves were measured. A dust-dust streaming instability is discussed as a possible mechanism for the production of the secondary waves.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Electron acoustic waves in a magnetized plasma with kappa distributed ions

Electron acoustic solitary waves in a two component magnetized plasma consisting of fluid cold electrons and hot superthermal ions are considered. The linear dispersion relation for electron acoustic waves is derived. In the nonlinear regime, the energy integral is obtained by a Sagdeev pseudopotential analysis, which predicts negative solitary potential structures. The effects of superthermality, obliquity, temperature, and Mach number on solitary structures are studied in detail. The results show that the superthermal index {kappa} and electron to ion temperature ratio {sigma} alters the regime where solitary waves can exist. It is found that an increase in magnetic field value results in an enhancement of soliton electric field amplitude and a reduction in soliton width and pulse duration.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Large amplitude dust-acoustic solitary waves in electron-positron-ion plasma with dust grains

Propagation of large amplitude dust-acoustic (DA) solitary waves is investigated in electron-positron-ion plasmas in the presence of dust grains using Sagdeev potential method. It is shown that acceptable values of Mach number for propagation of the large amplitude DA solitary waves depend strongly on plasma parameters. It is also observed that the amplitude of DA solitary waves increases as both the Mach number M and dust charge Z{sub d} are increased. Furthermore, it is found that a dusty plasma with inertial dust fluid and Boltzmann distributed electrons, positrons, and ions admits only negative solitary potentials associated with nonlinear dust-acoustic waves. In addition, it is remarked that the formation of double layers is not possible in this plasma system.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Dust-acoustic waves and stability in the permeating dusty plasma. II. Power-law distributions

The dust-acoustic waves and the stability theory for the permeating dusty plasma with power-law distributions are studied by using nonextensive q-statistics. In two limiting physical cases, when the thermal velocity of the flowing dusty plasma is much larger than, and much smaller than the phase velocity of the waves, we derived the dust-acoustic wave frequency, the instability growth rate, and the instability critical flowing velocity. As compared with the formulae obtained in part I [Gong et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 043704 (2012)], all formulae of the present cases and the resulting plasma characteristics are q-dependent, and the power-law distribution of each plasma component of the permeating dusty plasma has a different q-parameter and thus has a different nonextensive effect. Further, we make numerical analyses of an example that a cometary plasma tail is passing through the interplanetary space dusty plasma and we show that these power-law distributions have significant effects on the plasma characteristics of this kind of plasma environment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Acoustic waves in the atmosphere and ground generated by volcanic activity

This paper reports an interesting sequence of harmonic tremor observed in the 2011 eruption of Shinmoe-dake volcano, southern Japan. The main eruptive activity started with ashcloud forming explosive eruptions, followed by lava effusion. Harmonic tremor was transmitted into the ground and observed as seismic waves at the last stage of the effusive eruption. The tremor observed at this stage had unclear and fluctuating harmonic modes. In the atmosphere, on the other hand, many impulsive acoustic waves indicating small surface explosions were observed. When the effusion stopped and the erupted lava began explosive degassing, harmonic tremor started to be transmitted also to the atmosphere and observed as acoustic waves. Then the harmonic modes became clearer and more stable. This sequence of harmonic tremor is interpreted as a process in which volcanic degassing generates an open connection between the volcanic conduit and the atmosphere. In order to test this hypothesis, a laboratory experiment was performed and the essential features were successfully reproduced.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Linear properties of energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode

Linear properties of energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode (EGAM) in the large helical device plasmas are investigated using a hybrid simulation code for a magnetohydrodynamics fluid interacting with energetic particles. It is found that the EGAM is a global mode with the spatially uniform oscillation frequency despite the spatial variation of the local geodesic acoustic mode frequency. The poloidal mode numbers of poloidal velocity fluctuation, plasma density fluctuation, and magnetic fluctuation are m = 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Oscillation frequency, linear growth rate, and spatial width of EGAM are compared for different physics conditions. The EGAM frequency is proportional to the square root of the plasma temperature. The frequency is lower for higher energetic particle {beta} value. The mode spatial width is larger for larger spatial width of the energetic particle distribution and for the reversed shear safety-factor profile than the normal shear profile. It is also found that the EGAM propagates radially outward in the linearly growing phase, and the propagation speed is slower for the spatially broadened modes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The existence of electron-acoustic shock waves and their interactions in a non-Maxwellian plasma with q-nonextensive distributed electrons

We present a theoretical investigation for the nonlinear interaction between electron-acoustic shock waves in a nonextensive two-electron plasma. The interaction is governed by a pair of Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers equations. We focus on studying the colliding effects on the propagation of shock waves, more specifically, we have studied the effects of plasma parameters, i.e., the nonextensive parameter q, the “hot” to “cold” electron number density ratio α, and the normalized electron kinematic viscosity η{sub 0} on the trajectory changes (phase shifts) of shock waves. It is found that there are trajectory changes (phase shifts) for both colliding shock waves in the present plasma system. We also noted that the nonlinearity has no decisive effect on the trajectory changes, the occurrence of trajectory changes may be due to the combined role played by the dispersion and dissipation of the nonlinear structure. Our theoretical study may be beneficial to understand the propagation and interaction of nonlinear electrostatic waves and may brings a possibility to develop the nonlinear theory of electron-acoustic waves in astrophysical plasma systems.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Phase mixing and nonlinearity in geodesic acoustic modes

Phase mixing and nonlinear resonance detuning of geodesic acoustic modes in a tokamak plasma are examined. Geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) are tokamak normal modes with oscillations in poloidal flow constrained to lie within flux surfaces. The mode frequency is sonic, dependent on the local flux surface temperature. Consequently, mode oscillations between flux surfaces get rapidly out of phase, resulting in enhanced damping from the phase mixing. Damping rates are shown to scale as the negative 1/3 power of the large viscous Reynolds number. The effect of convective nonlinearities on the normal modes is also studied. The system of nonlinear GAM equations is shown to resemble the Duffing oscillator, which predicts resonance detuning of the oscillator. Resonant amplification is shown to be suppressed nonlinearly. All analyses are verified by numerical simulation. The findings are applied to a recently proposed GAM excitation experiment on the DIII-D tokamak.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The derivation of scaling relationship between acoustic and electromagnetic scattering by spheres

The rigorous theory of the conversion between the scattering of uniform plane electromagnetic wave by a perfectly conducting sphere and the scattering of uniform plane acoustic wave by a rigid sphere is studied in this paper. The conversion formula between these two different scattering based on two calibration curves is derived, which describes the quantitative relationship between acoustic and electromagnetic wave scattering at arbitrary frequencies by spheres of arbitrary sizes. In addition, the scaling relationship of the sizes of those two spheres and the corresponding frequencies are discussed in detail, and an indirect method of measurement of electromagnetic scattering by the spheres is proposed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

The application scope of the reductive perturbation method and the upper limit of the dust acoustic solitary waves in a dusty plasma

The dust acoustic solitary waves have been numerically investigated by using one dimensional electrostatic particle-in-cell method. By comparing the numerical results with those obtained from the traditional reductive perturbation method, it is found that there exist the maximum dimensionless amplitude and propagation speed of the dust acoustic solitary wave. And these limitations of the solitary wave are explained by using the Sagdeev potential technique. Furthermore, it is noticed that although ϵ ≪ 1 is required in the reductive perturbation method generally, the reductive perturbation method is also valid for ϵ < 1 in a dusty plasma, which may be extended to branches where the reductive perturbation method is used.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Adjustable, rapidly switching microfluidic gradient generation using focused travelling surface acoustic waves

We demonstrate a simple device to generate chemical concentration gradients in a microfluidic channel using focused travelling surface acoustic waves (F-TSAW). A pair of curved interdigitated metal electrodes deposited on the surface of a piezoelectric (LiNbO{sub 3}) substrate disseminate high frequency sound waves when actuated by an alternating current source. The F-TSAW produces chaotic acoustic streaming flow upon its interaction with the fluid inside a microfluidic channel, which mixes confluent streams of chemicals in a controlled fashion for an adjustable and rapidly switching gradient generation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Solar wind driven dust acoustic instability with Lorentzian kappa distribution

In a three species electron-ion-dust plasma following a generalized non-Maxwellian distribution function (Lorentzian or kappa), it is shown that a kinetic instability of dust-acoustic mode exists. The instability threshold is affected when such (quasineutral) plasma permeates through another static plasma. Such case is of interest when the solar wind is streaming through the cometary plasma in the presence of interstellar dust. In the limits of phase velocity of the waves larger and smaller than the thermal velocity of dust particles, the dispersion properties and growth rate of dust-acoustic mode are investigated analytically with validation via numerical analysis.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Continuous wavelet transform analysis and modal location analysis acoustic emission source location for nuclear piping crack growth monitoring

Source location is an important feature of acoustic emission (AE) damage monitoring in nuclear piping. The ability to accurately locate sources can assist in source characterisation and early warning of failure. This paper describe the development of a novelAE source location technique termed 'Wavelet Transform analysis and Modal Location (WTML)' based on Lamb wave theory and time-frequency analysis that can be used for global monitoring of plate like steel structures. Source location was performed on a steel pipe of 1500 mm long and 220 mm outer diameter with nominal thickness of 5 mm under a planar location test setup using H-N sources. The accuracy of the new technique was compared with other AE source location methods such as the time of arrival (TOA) techniqueand DeltaTlocation. Theresults of the study show that the WTML method produces more accurate location resultscompared with TOA and triple point filtering location methods. The accuracy of the WTML approach is comparable with the deltaT location method but requires no initial acoustic calibration of the structure.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Effect of growth conditions on microstructure of BiFeO{sub 3}-0.33BaTiO{sub 3} films and performance of bulk acoustic wave resonators

The effect of growth conditions on the microstructure of BiFeO{sub 3}-0.33BaTiO{sub 3} (BF-BT) films and the performance of bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators is analyzed using test structures with the BF-BT films grown at different positions relative to the plume axis in the pulsed laser deposition system. The BF-BT film grain size and surface roughness reveal a strong asymmetric surface distribution and decrease significantly in the film region facing the laser beam-plume interaction area. The (100) BF-BT texturing is enhanced in this film region. The variations in the BF-BT film microstructure result in corresponding variations of the BAW resonator performance. Their correlations are established using the model of the roughness induced attenuation of the reflected acoustic waves and theory of the dc field induced piezoelectric effect. The BAW resonators with the highest parameters are obtained in the BF-BT film region facing the laser beam-plume interaction area. The BAW resonators located in this film region reveal a mechanical Q-factor of 200 at 4.2 GHz, an effective electromechanical coupling coefficient of 10% and a tunability of the series resonance frequency of 4.5%.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Ion-acoustic cnoidal waves in plasmas with warm ions and kappa distributed electrons and positrons

Electrostatic ion-acoustic periodic (cnoidal) waves and solitons in unmagnetized electron-positron-ion (EPI) plasmas with warm ions and kappa distributed electrons and positrons are investigated. Using the reductive perturbation method, the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation is derived with appropriate boundary conditions for periodic waves. The corresponding analytical and various numerical solutions are presented with Sagdeev potential approach. Differences between the results caused by the kappa and Maxwell distributions are emphasized. It is revealed that only hump (compressive) structures of the cnoidal waves and solitons are formed. It is shown that amplitudes of the cnoidal waves and solitons are reduced in an EPI plasma case in comparison with the ordinary electron-ion plasmas. The effects caused by the temperature variations of the warm ions are also discussed. It is obtained that the amplitude of the cnoidal waves and solitons decreases for a kappa distributed (nonthermal) electrons and positrons plasma case in comparison with the Maxwellian distributed (thermal) electrons and positrons EPI plasmas. The existence of kappa distributed particles leads to decreasing of ion-acoustic frequency up to thermal ions frequency.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗