Conversion of Transverse to Longitudinal Plasma Waves Induced by Radiation Reaction

Gelfer, E. G.; Fedotov, A. M. and Elkina, N. V. (2017): Conversion of Transverse to Longitudinal Plasma Waves Induced by Radiation Reaction. In: 25th Annual international Laser Physics Workshop (Lphys'16), Vol. 826, 12030

Abstract

We investigate the evolution of a circularly polarized wave in a cold plasma in a regime when radiation reaction is essential. A new effect is that circularly polarized transverse waves become unstable with respect to partial conversion to the longitudinal ones. This effect appears due to radiation reaction entirely and in principle could be implemented for particle acceleration. We provide analytical expression for arising longitudinal field in the case, when it is much smaller, than transverse one.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics
• ISSN: 1742-6588
• Language: English