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

磁化等离子体中的失控放电和高能辐射的产生

• 批准号: 0317261
• 负责人: Gennady Milikh
• 金额: $ 28.29万
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-06-01 至 2007-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0317261&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Runaway; Discharge; Magnetized; Plasma; Generation

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.

研究人员将研究磁化等离子体中哨声波的自聚焦及其与失控放电中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的卫星观测的伽马射线从中间层，一个难题，其解决方案需要一个新的理解在中间层的等离子体过程中的闪电放电。将发展逃逸放电的数值模型来处理在磁场存在下由宽带脉冲产生的逃逸光束。它依赖于磁化相对论电子的逃逸。在这个模型中，电离驱动的自聚焦不稳定性是关键因素，它自洽地维持着逃逸粒子数，并将哨声波的能量沿着场取向的细丝引导。该方法是基于一个创新的概念，哨声介导的电子放电，并将开发一个新的理解磁化等离子体中的波的自聚焦及其与相对论电子的关系。这项研究将加强与可调X射线和伽马射线源的发展有关的技术理解，以及伽马射线闪光对航空电子设备的潜在影响。该项目将培训本科生，并将针对代表性不足的少数群体学生的参与。研究结果将通过在科学期刊和网页上发表广泛传播。