Generation of whistler waves by a rotating magnetic field source

Abstract

The paper discusses the generation of polarized whistler waves radiated from a rotating magnetic field source created via a novel phased orthogonal two loop antenna. The results of linear three-dimensional electron magnetohydrodynamics simulations along with experiments on the generation whistler waves by the rotating magnetic field source performed in the large plasma device are presented. Comparison of the experimental results with the simulations and linear wave properties shows good agreement. The whistler wave dispersion relation with nonzero transverse wave number and the wave structure generated by the rotating magnetic field source are also discussed. The phase velocity of the whistler waves was found to be in good agreement with the theoretical dispersion relation. The exponential decay rate of the whistler wave propagating along the ambient magnetic field is determined by Coulomb collisions. In collisionless case the rotating magnetic field source was found to be a very efficient radiation source for transferring energy along the ambient magnetic field lines. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.