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Experimental Observation of a Current-Driven Instability in a Neutral Electron-Positron Beam

Authors :
Warwick, J.
Dzelzainis, T.
Dieckmann, Mark E
Schumaker, W.
Doria, D.
Romagnani, L.
Poder, K.
Cole, J. M.
Alejo, A.
Yeung, M.
Krushelnick, K.
Mangles, S. P. D.
Najmudin, Z.
Reville, B.
Samarin, G. M.
Symes, D. D.
Thomas, A. G. R.
Borghesi, M.
Sarri, G.
Warwick, J.
Dzelzainis, T.
Dieckmann, Mark E
Schumaker, W.
Doria, D.
Romagnani, L.
Poder, K.
Cole, J. M.
Alejo, A.
Yeung, M.
Krushelnick, K.
Mangles, S. P. D.
Najmudin, Z.
Reville, B.
Samarin, G. M.
Symes, D. D.
Thomas, A. G. R.
Borghesi, M.
Sarri, G.
Publication Year :
2017

Abstract

We report on the first experimental observation of a current-driven instability developing in a quasineutral matter-antimatter beam. Strong magnetic fields (amp;gt;= 1 T) are measured, via means of a proton radiography technique, after the propagation of a neutral electron-positron beam through a background electron-ion plasma. The experimentally determined equipartition parameter of epsilon(B) approximate to 10(-3) is typical of values inferred from models of astrophysical gamma-ray bursts, in which the relativistic flows are also expected to be pair dominated. The data, supported by particle-in-cell simulations and simple analytical estimates, indicate that these magnetic fields persist in the background plasma for thousands of inverse plasma frequencies. The existence of such long-lived magnetic fields can be related to analog astrophysical systems, such as those prevalent in lepton-dominated jets.<br />Funding Agencies|EPSRC [EP/N022696/1, EP/N027175/1, EP/L013975/1, EP/N002644/1, EP/P010059/1]; DOE [DE-NA0002372]; ARO [W911NF-16-1-0044]

Details

Database :
OAIster
Notes :
application/pdf, English
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.on1234140413
Document Type :
Electronic Resource
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1103.PhysRevLett.119.185002