Plasma oscillation Langmuir waves Instabilities Commentary

Irving Langmuir, Lewi Tonks physics

Plasma oscillation

In the ultraviolet region, the dielectric function of a free electron gas is unstable, so that its charge density can oscillate at the electron plasma frequency. These oscillations occur in any plasma— in vacuum tubes, in the ionosphere, and across the heliosphere in solar wind— started by accidental variations of electron density.

Langmuir waves

In the Van Allen belts, Langmuir waves act like an orchestral conductor, modulating as well as modulated by whistler-mode chorus waves. * In the hot plasmas of fusion experiments, temperature gradients cause Langmuir waves subject to Landau damping and Thomson scattering. * Electron beams accelerated by solar flares and nanoflares in the solar corona and interplanetary medium cause radio bursts from cyclically collapsing Langmuir waves.

Instabilities

Instabilities attract emissions. No, they don’t attract emissions. You may know what I’m about.