Nonlinear interaction of an intense electromagnetic wave with an unmagnetized electron—positron plasma

Abstract

The nonlinear interaction of an arbitrarily large-amplitude circularly polarized electromagnetic wave with an unmagnetized electron-positron plasma is considered, taking into account relativistic particle-mass variation as well as large-scale density perturbations created by radiation pressure. It is found that the interaction is governed by an equation for the electromagnetic wave envelope, which is coupled with a pair of equations describing fully nonlinear longitudinal plasma motions. The dynamics of the nonlinear electromagnetic wave packet is studied.