Energy lost by a relativistic electron beam propagating along an external magnetic field

Abstract
The nonlinear interaction between a relativistic electron beam and a homogeneous, magnetized plasma is discussed. The plasma heating as a function of guide magnetic field strength is obtained by comparing three two‐dimensional, fully electromagnetic numerical simulations. The interaction involves a (γ0−1)mc2=1.5 meV monoenergetic beam with a beam‐to‐plasma density ratio of nb/ne=10−1. The zero and moderate magnetic field interactions are strongly two‐timensional in character, in agreement with theory. The strong magnetic field case is similar to a one‐dimensional interaction. The presence of the magnetic field appears to reduce high energy tail formation perpendicular to the beam. Nonlinear Landau damping is observed to be an important process in two‐dimensional space.