EXCITATION OF OSCILLATIONS WITH A BROAD FREQUENCY-SPECTRUM IN THE INTERACTION OF A HIGH-DENSITY RELATIVISTIC ELECTRON-BEAM WITH A PLASMA

A study is made of the nonlinear interaction of a relativistic electro n beam with a plasma when the beam density is of the same order as the plasma density. Under this condition, the onset of beam-plasma instab ility leads to the excitation of oscillations with a broad frequency s pectrum. The oscillation spectrum is continuous and extends to frequen cies on the order of several plasma frequencies. The nonlinear dynamic s of the instability is stochastic.