Study of Unstable Flute-Like Cyclotron Modes Caused by the Presence of Suprathermal Particles in a Magnetoplasma

Abstract

The stability of a cold magnetoplasma containing an isotropic distribution of suprathermal electrons or ions is studied. It is found that such a plasma is unstable for cyclotron harmonic modes for certain choices of the plasma parameters. Particle density gradients enhance the instability for modes propagating in the direction of the particle drifts. A finite plasma temperature as well as energy spreading of the suprathermal particles have a stabilizing effect on the instability.