Charge and current neutralization of an ion-beam pulse propagating in a background plasma along a solenoidal magnetic field

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Dec 7;99(23):235002. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.235002. Epub 2007 Dec 6.

Abstract

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 omega_{ce} approximately omega_{pe}beta_{b}, where omega_{ce} is the electron gyrofrequency, omega_{pe} is the electron plasma frequency, and beta_{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.