Nonlinear interaction of electrostatic ion-cyclotron and drift waves in plasmas

Abstract

Model equations describing the nonlinear coupling between electrostatic ion-cyclotron and drift waves are derived, taking into account the action of the low-frequency ponderomotive force associated with the ion-cyclotron waves. It is found that this interaction is governed by a pair of equations, which can be used for studying the modulational instability of a constant amplitude ion-cyclotron wave as well as the dynamics of nonlinearly coupled ion-cyclotron and drift waves.