Runaway Discharge in a Magnetized Plasma and Generation of High Energy Radiation

研究人员将研究磁化等离子体中哨声波的自聚焦及其在失控放电中与相对论电子的相互作用，以及高能辐射(X射线和伽马射线)的产生。这些研究的动机是最近对中间层发出的伽马射线的卫星观测，这一谜题的解决需要对闪电放电期间中间层中的等离子体过程有新的理解。建立了用于处理有磁场存在的宽带脉冲产生的失控束流的失控放电的数值模型。它依赖于磁化的相对论电子的逃逸。在这个模型中，电离驱动的自聚焦不稳定性是关键因素，它自洽地维持着失控的布居，并沿场排列的细丝引导哨声波的能量。该方法基于哨声介导的电子放电的创新概念，将对磁化等离子体中波的自聚焦及其与相对论电子的关系有新的理解。这项研究将增进对可调谐X射线和伽马射线源的开发以及伽马射线闪光对航空电子设备的潜在影响的技术理解。该项目将培训本科生，目标是来自代表性不足的少数群体的学生参与。研究成果将通过在科学期刊和网页上发表而广泛传播。

The investigators will study the self-focusing of whistler waves in magnetized plasmas and their interaction with relativistic electrons in a runaway discharge, and the generation of high-energy radiation (X-rays and gamma-rays). These studies are motivated by the recent satellite observations of gamma-rays emanating from the mesosphere, a puzzle whose solution requires a new understanding of the plasma processes in the mesosphere during lightning discharges. The numerical models of runaway discharge will be developed that deal with runaway beams generated by a broadband pulse in the presence of magnetic field. It relies on the runaway of magnetized relativistic electrons. In this model, an ionization driven self-focusing instability which self-consistently maintains the runaway population, and channels the energy of whistler waves along field-aligned filaments is the key element. The approach is based on an innovative concept of whistler mediated electron discharge and will develop a new understanding of self-focusing of waves in magnetized plasmas and its relationship to relativistic electrons. This research will enhance technological understanding related to the development of tunable X-ray and gamma-ray sources, and the potential impacts of gamma-ray flashes on aviation electronics. The project will train undergraduate students and will target participation by students from underrepresented minority groups. The research results will be widely disseminated through publication in scientific journals and web pages.