Multimode theory of electron hole transverse instability

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive multimode linear stability analysis of electron holes, revealing more accurate growth rates and mode structures that align better with simulation observations, especially near stability boundaries.

Contribution

It introduces a multimode approach to electron hole stability analysis, extending previous single mode models for improved accuracy and understanding of instability mechanisms.

Findings

Multimode analysis yields slightly higher growth rates than single mode models.

Oscillating modes near stability boundaries exhibit larger distortions.

High magnetic fields reduce the growth rate of instabilities.

Abstract

We present Vlasov-Poisson 3-D linear stability analysis of an initially planar electron hole structure, solving for the distribution function by integration along unperturbed orbits. The non-sinusoidal potential perturbation shape (parallel to $B$) is expanded in eigenfunctions of the adiabatic Poisson operator, generalizing the prior assumption of a rigid shift of the equilibrium. We show that the shiftmode is then modified by a second discrete mode plus an integral over a continuum of wave-like modes. A rigorous treatment shows that the continuum can be approximated effectively by a single mode that satisfies the external wave dispersion relation, thus making the perturbation a weighted sum of three modes. We find numerically the solution for the complex instability frequency, and the corresponding three mode amplitudes determining the perturbation eigenmode. This multimode analysis refines the accuracy of the prior single mode results, giving slightly higher growth rates at most parameters, as expected from the extra mode shape freedom. Oscillating modes near stability boundaries have larger mode distortions which help explain PIC simulations that observe instability up to $\sim20$\% beyond the prior shiftmode thresholds, and narrowing of the perturbation. At high magnetic field, the multimode analysis predicts a reduction of the already small growth rate.