Coherent Radiation from Electrostatic Double Layers
Abstract
The efficiency of two coherent radiation processes - antenna radiation and a maser process - is studied. Both processes are found capable of operating in electrostatic double layers (DLs) to produce intense and narrow-band emission. Antenna radiation occurs if the dimensions of the double layer are smaller than the wavelength of the emitted radiation. The maser requires an amplification length inside the double layer much larger than the emitted wavelength, and can lead to observable emission in astrophysical circumstances. The growth is exponential and the rate depends only on the electric field energy density of the DL. Since the latter is externally controlled by the electric circuit, it is a constant for the emission process so as to constitute a true maser. The maximum brightness temperature is of the order of 10 exp 25 K. Masing radiation from electrostatic DLs is therefore a candidate for some of the observed intense narrow-band cosmic radio emission.
- Publication:
-
Basic Plasma Processes on the Sun
- Pub Date:
- 1990
- Bibcode:
- 1990IAUS..142..365K
- Keywords:
-
- Antenna Radiation Patterns;
- Coherent Radiation;
- Electrostatics;
- Masers;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Plasmas (Physics);
- Brightness Temperature;
- Charged Particles;
- Cosmic Rays;
- Electromagnetic Radiation;
- Narrowband;
- Planetary Magnetospheres;
- Plasma Frequencies;
- Stellar Magnetospheres;
- Space Radiation