Lower-hybrid wave collapse

Abstract

The formation, collapse and arrest of lower-hybrid wave packets are investigated analytically. The three-dimensional structure of the wave packet is incorporated in the analysis and its polarization is studied for the first time. Nonlinear collapse thresholds are obtained via a Hamiltonian formulation and are used in calculating the probability distribution of collapsing wave packet structures as a function of their polarization. Transit-time interaction theory is then used to calculate the arrest scale at which collapse is halted as the waves are damped. It is found that collapse thresholds are lowest for circularly polarized packets, but that nearly linearly polarized ones predominate in c..