EFFECTS OF PARTICLE TRAPPING AND VELOCITY SLIPPAGE ON BEAM-PLASMA INTERACTIONS

Nonlinear oscillations in homogeneous beam-plasma interactions are stu died with respect to the trapping of beam particles and the velocity d ifference between the beam and the excited wave. A parameter defined a s the ratio of bounce to oscillation frequencies divided by velocity s lippage, is shown to be a good measure for the chaos in the system. Th e chaotic oscillation with a large value of this parameter is associat ed with a sideband instability. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.