Collective effect of nonthermal and suprathermal particles on electrostatic waves and instabilities in Vasyliunas-Cairns distributed plasmas

The combined effects of nonthermal and suprathermal particles on electrostatic modes of waves propagating in an electron-ion plasma are investigated. Vasyliunas-Cairns distribution with nonthermal and suprathermal spectral indices is used to describe the electron-ion plasma under consideration. The dispersion relation of Langmuir and ion-acoustic waves are examined using the kinetic theory approach. The population of nonthermal and suprathermal particles is found to have a considerable influence on the real wave frequency and damping rate of both Langmuir and ion-acoustic waves. The suprathermal particle population stabilizes the wave whereas the nonthermal particle population destabilizes the wave.

Automated summary

The combined effects of nonthermal and suprathermal particles on electrostatic modes of waves in an electron-ion plasma are examined. The Vasyliunas-Cairns distribution with nonthermal and suprathermal spectral indices is used to describe the plasma. The dispersion relation of Langmuir and ion-acoustic waves are studied and the populations of nonthermal and suprathermal particles are found to significantly affect the wave frequency and damping rate.