Linear ray‐optics theory of the radiation‐driven ion‐acoustic decay instability in flowing, inhomogeneous plasmas

摘要: The linear Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) or ray‐optics theory of the ion‐acoustic decay instability is developed for flowing inhomogeneous, fluid plasmas arbitrary ionic charge, as needed in planning and analysis experiments. Equations are threshold a homogeneous plasma amplification that may be inhomogeneous more than one spatial direction and/or time. These equations formulated so prior WKB three‐wave parametric instabilities directly applied to this problem. results compared with work on instability, several circumstances practical interest. One finds that, typical conditions, large possible over wide range angles. In addition, flow properties found crucial determining angular distribution produced by instability. particular, magnitude flow, when ...