Charge and Current Neutralization of an Ion-Beam Pulse Propagating in a Background Plasma along a Solenoidal Magnetic Field

The analytical studies show that the application of a small solenoidal magnetic field can drastically change the self-magnetic and self-electric fields of the beam pulse propagating in a background plasma. Theory predicts that when _ce~_peb, where _ce is the electron gyrofrequency, _pe is the electron plasma frequency, and _b is the ion-beam velocity relative to the speed of light, there is a sizable enhancement of the self-electric and self-magnetic fields due to the dynamo effect. Furthermore, the combined ion-beam–plasma system acts as a paramagnetic medium; i.e., the solenoidal magnetic field inside the beam pulse is enhanced.

©2007 The American Physical Society