On the stability of nonlinear waves coexisting with plasma beams

Abstract

In this paper we consider the stability of one-dimensional stationary waves set up by two counter-streaming beams of electrons in a background of stationary ions. The perturbations considered are long-wave in a direction perpendicular to the wave. The presence of a uniform magnetic field in the direction of the wave and the effect of a perpendicular pressure are taken into account. In the long-wavelength limit growth rates are diminished by the nonlinear wave. When the amplitude of this wave tends to its maximum value, the growth rates tend to zero. Thus the wave has a stabilizing effect for long-wave perturbations. Three- dimensional effects lead to additional instabilities which are also quenched by the nonlinear wave, but not as fast as the one-dimensional calculation indicates.