Nonlinear Interaction between Electrostatic Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves and Electrons

Abstract

The nonlinear interaction of linearly stable electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves and electrons due to the cyclotron damping is experimentally examined. As moderate amplitude waves are excited, the amplitude oscillation of the wave and the periodic oscillation of electrons trapped by the wave are observed, whose results are explained by the monochromatic wave approximation. As large amplitude waves are excited, wave number spectra of waves widen, and then, the amplitude oscillation of waves collapses due to the many wave-particle interaction. The results can be explained qualitatively in the quasilinear theory for a weak turbulent plasma.