Study of Electron Beam on Electron Cyclotron Waves with AC Field in the Magnetosphere of Uranus

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the electromagnetic electron cyclotron (EMEC) waves in the magnetosphere of Uranus. By using the method of characteristic solution, the expression for dispersion relation is drawn. Following kinetic approach, the growth rate and real frequency of EMEC waves is studied theoretically, considering the injection of cold plasma beam in the Uranian system. The observations made by a space probe launched by NASA, Voyager 2, showed unusual orientation of planet’s spin axis and presence of more particles in high energy tail in Uranian magnetospheric plasma. Therefore, in this paper Kappa distribution is employed instead of usual Maxwellian distribution. The study is extended to the parallel as well as the oblique propagation of EMEC waves with variation in temperature anisotropy, number density of electrons and angle of propagation with respect to magnetic field direction. It is found that these parameters support the growth rate of EMEC waves. But response of real frequency of these waves is not same as that of growth rate for all the cases. Numerical analysis also revealed that as the ratio of number density of cold to hot plasma increases growth rate of EMEC waves also increases. Thus, denser the beam is injected, more the growth can be observed. These results are appropriate for applications to space plasma environments and magnetospheric regimes for detailed comparative planetary study.

Keywords

• Electron Beam
• Cyclotron
• Magnetosphere
• Uranus