Parametric instabifity of transverse and Langmuir waves in a plasma

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Abstract
The parametric excitation of transverse and Langmuir waves by an externally-driven electromagnetic field of frequency (ω0 > 2ωp) in a warm and collisional plasma is studied, using the fluid equations. By an application of the multiple- time-scale perturbation method, the threshold intensity and the growth rate above threshold are obtained. The results are compared with those of Goldman (1969) and Prasad (1968), both of whom worked with a kinetic model.The theory of parametric instabilities in plasmas has been the subject of numerous investigations in recent years. Broadly speaking, the instabilities can be grouped into two categories: those for which the excited waves are purely electrostatic (see e.g. DuBois & Goldman 1965, 1967; Silin 1965; Lee & Su 1966; Jackson 1967; Nishikawa 1968; Kaw & Dawson 1969; Tzoar 1969; Sanmartin 1970; McBride 1970; Perkins & Flick 1971; Fejer & Leer 1972a, b; Bezzerides & Weinstock 1972; DuBois & Goldman 1972), and those for which one of the excited waves is electromagnetic (see e.g. Goldman & Dubois 1965; Montgomery & Alexeff 1966; Chen & Lewak 1970; Bodner & Eddleman 1972; Fejer & Leer 1972b; Lee & Kaw 1972; Forslund et al. 1972).