PARTICLE-ACCELERATION BY WEAK ELECTROSTATIC TURBULENCE

A theory for the non-linear interactions (induced scattering and mode coupling) of wave-packets of electrostatic waves propagating in a magn etized plasma is presented. A set of coupled equations is derived to d escribe the changes in the energy distribution within the packets and changes in the distribution of the resonant plasma particles that are accelerated by the non-linear Landau damping (induced scattering). The present theory is proposed as the basis for a numerical analysis of p ossible electron acceleration in the auroral region where lower-hybrid waves are produced by streaming ions.