Trajectory crossing in low density plasmas due to interaction with a long ultrarelativistic beam of charged particles

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a long ultrarelativistic charged particle beam interacts with low-density plasmas, causing wavebreaking and electron jets, with a semi-analytical model validated by simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a semi-analytical model to describe plasma wave breaking and electron halo formation caused by ultrarelativistic beams in low-density plasmas.

Findings

Model accurately predicts wavebreaking points.

Electron jets form and escape the plasma column.

Regions occupied by the electron halo are determined.

Abstract

Breaking of a plasma wave driven by a long beam of charged particles results in electron jets escaping from the plasma column and forming an electron halo. For plasma densities less than or of the order of the beam density, this process is well described by a semi-analytical model, which agrees with simulations and allows to calculate the position of wavebreaking points and determine the regions around the plasma column occupied by the halo.