Analytical and nonlinear perturbative simulation studies of the equilibrium and stability properties of intense charged particle beams for heavy ion fusion

This paper presents an overview of recent analytical and numerical investig ations of collective processes in intense ion beams at the Plasma Physics L aboratory based on the nonlinear Vlasov-Maxwell equations. The topics cover ed include: (a) nonlinear stability theorem for quiescent beam propagation at high space-charge intensities; (b) development and application of Hamilt onian averaging techniques for intense beam propagation through alternating -gradient field configurations; (c) kinetic studies of the electron-ion two -stream instability which occurs when an (unwanted) component of electrons is present in the beam transport line: (d) application of the newly develop ed three-dimensional, multispecies, nonlinear perturbative particle simulat ion scheme, called the Beam Equilibrium, Stability and Transport (BEST) cod e, to investigate the linear and nonlinear dynamics of intense beam propaga tion, including the electron-ion two-stream instability; and (e) investigat ions of the role of collective mode excitations in the expulsion of particl es from the beam core and the production of halo particles, Finally, the li near growth properties of instabilities driven by pressure anisotropy are i nvestigated within the framework of a macroscopic warm-fluid model. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.