Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph)

Abstract: In this work, the rotating spoke mode in the radio frequency (RF) magnetron discharge, which features the potential hump and the RF-modulated ionization, is observed and analyzed by means of the two dimensional axial-azimuthal (z-y) particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision method. The kinetic model combined with the linear analysis of the perturbation reveals that the cathode sheath (axial) electric field $E_z$ triggers the gradient drift instability (GDI), deforming the local potential until the instability condition is not fulfilled and the fluctuation growth stops in which moment the instability becomes saturated. The potential deformation consequently leads to the formation of the potential hump, surrounding which the azimuthal electric field $E_y$ is present. The saturation level of $E_y$ is found to be synchronized with and proportional to the time-changing voltage applied at the cathode, resulting in the RF-modulation of the electron heating in the $E_y$ due to $\nabla B$ drift. In the instability saturated stage, it is shown that the rotation velocity and direction of the spoke present in the simulations agree well with the experimental observation. In the instability linear stage, the instability mode wavelength and the growth rate are also found to be in good agreement with the prediction of the GDI linear fluid theory.

Abstract: We review the modulation stability of parallel propagating/field aligned Whistler Mode Chorus waves propagating in a warm plasma from a formal perspective with a focus on wave-particle interactions. The modulation instability criteria is characterised by a curvature of the dispersion relation for Whistler mode waves and a condition on the ratio between the group velocity $c_g$ and the electron sound speed $c_{s,e}$. We also demonstrate the in order to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of the envelope and the formation of packets, one necessarily needs to account for the motion of ions within the system, leading to an ionic influence on the modulation instability threshold determined by the ion fraction of the plasma. Finally, we demonstrate that chirping may be captured when higher order effects are included within the spatiotemporal evolution of the amplitude. This yields not only an explicit expression for the sweep rate but identifies a possible origin for the power band gap that occurs at half the electron gyrofrequency. Numerical validation demonstrates that the interaction between wave packets is a source for the emergence of tones observed within mission data, and such interactions may be a major source of the electron energisation which Whistler-Mode chorus are responsible for.