Project: Waves and turbulence in plasmas and their interactions with charged particles

A large variety of linear wave modes and nonlinear wave phenomena can occur in the plasma medium. Space plasmas, especially, provide us with an immense laboratory without having limitations due to the boundary conditions of ground-based experiments. Interesting nonlinear phenomena, such as wave packets of whistler-mode chorus, have recently regained attention as a consequence of their interactions with charged particles. Experiments of recent space missions were designed to provide high-resolution multicomponent measurements of waves and turbulence in plasmas. These measurements require advanced methods for their interpretation and analysis of the underlying physical processes. This proposal aims at application of such techniques to new measurements. Data will be analyzed with different methods such as wave distribution functions, higher order spectra, and correlative methods for multipoint/multiscale measurements, taking into account wave-particle interactions and plasma coupling properties of electric antennas. Based on these results new instruments for wave measurements in plasmas will be designed.

Funded by: GA ČR. GAP205/10/2279

Duration: 2010-2014

Investigator: Santolík, O.