Classical Electron Motion in a Wave of Slowly Varying Amplitude

Abstract

A set of approximate, analytical, adiabatic solutions is constructed for the motion of a point electron in a spatially sinusoidal wave of slowly varying amplitude. The set can describe electron transitions from trapped to untrapped conditions, or vice versa, and is formally symmetric with respect to both kinds of motion. The physical consequences of electron transitions on the damping of an electron plasma wave of large amplitude are discussed.