Suppression of a Plasma Instability by the Method of "Asynchronous Quenching"

Abstract

Recent work has shown that an ion-sound instability in a plasma behaves in a manner similar to a classical Van der Pol oscillator. Experimental results are presented which show that the classical method of "asynchronous quenching of a Van der Pol oscillator" can be used to suppress this instability in a plasma. Further, the effects observed as the amplitude and/or frequency are changed are compared with theories due to Minorsky and to Kobsarev (or Bogolyubov).