Laboratory evidence for stochastic plasma-wave growth.
The first laboratory confirmation of stochastic growth theory is reported. Floating potential fluctuations are measured in a vacuum arc centrifuge using a Langmuir probe. Statistical analysis of the energy density reveals a lognormal distribution over roughly 2 orders of magnitude, with a high-field nonlinear cutoff whose spatial dependence is consistent with the predicted eigenmode profile. These results are consistent with stochastic growth and nonlinear saturation of a spatially extended eigenmode, the first evidence for stochastic growth of an extended structure.
Austin
D R
DR
School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
Hole
M J
MJ
Robinson
P A
PA
Cairns
Iver H
IH
Dallaqua
R
R