Accession Number:

AD0251020

Title:

ELECTRON DENSITY FLUCTUATIONS IN A PLASMA

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

CORNELL UNIV ITHACA NY

Personal Author(s):

• SALPETER, E. E.

Report Date:

1960-08-01

Pagination or Media Count:

44.0

Abstract:

The spatial Fourier transform P is considered for wave vector k of the charge distribution of the electrons in a plasma with particle density n, electron and ion temperatures T and T sub i, and Debye length D. We assume the absence of a magnetic field, neglect collisions, and assume nD cubed is greater than 1. The statistical average of P squared is calculated as a function of a equals 1kD assuming complete thermodynamic equilibrium that component of P squared, which keeps in phase with the ion charge density fluctuations is also calculated. The frequency spectrum of the time-varying function P is obtained at thermal equilibrium and simplified, assuming the ion mass to be much larger than the electron mass, for general values of a and TT sub i. For small a the main component of the spectrum has the characteristic Doppler broadening shape corresponding to the electrons thermal velocity. For large a we have a component with narrow width corresponding roughly to the ion-velocity Doppler spread and very narrow side bands at plus and minus the frequency of electrostatic plasma oscillations.

Descriptors:

• *ELECTRONS
• *PLASMAS(PHYSICS)
• DENSITY
• FOURIER ANALYSIS
• IONS
• TEMPERATURE

Subject Categories:

• Nuclear Physics and Elementary Particle Physics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE