Charles Karney: Publication 24/85, Karney(1981b)

C. F. F. Karney.
Temporal evolution of lower hybrid waves in the presence of ponderomotive density fluctuations.
Phys. Fluids, 24(1):127–137, January 1981.
E-print: arXiv:physics/0501047 (Mirror).
Princeton Univ. Rept. PPPL-1672 (June 1980) 23 pp.
Reprint: pf81b
DOI: 10.1063/1.863229
BibTeX Entry

The propagation of lower hybrid waves in the presence of ponderomotive density fluctuations is considered. The problem is treated in two dimensions and, in order to be able to correctly impose the boundary conditions, the waves are allowed to evolve in time. The fields are described by iv_τ − ∫ v_ξ dζ + v_ζζ + |v|²v = 0 where v is proportional to the electric field, τ to time, and ζ and ξ measure distances across and along the lower hybrid ray. The behavior of the waves is investigated numerically. If the amplitude of the waves is large enough, the spectrum of the waves broadens and their parallel wavelength becomes shorter. The assumptions made in the formulation preclude the application of these results to the lower hybrid heating experiment on Alcator–A. Nevertheless, there are indications that the physics embodied in this problem are responsible for some of the results of that experiment.