Excitation of high-frequency waves with mixed polarization by streaming energetic electrons

Abstract

The excitation of the slow extraordinary and electron whistler modes with frequencies in the vicinity of the electron plasma frequency is investigated for a plasma which is composed of thermal and suprathermal electrons. Ion dynamics are ignored. The suprathermal electrons are assumed to comprise a long, anisotropic tail parallel to the ambient magnetic field. Instability is found to occur via a relativistic, anomalous gyroresonance with the suprathermal electrons, and to excite waves with frequencies above and below the electron plasma frequency. Landau and cyclotron damping due to the thermal background is included in the treatment.