Effects of spontaneous fluctuations on the generalized weak turbulence theory

Abstract

Generalized weak turbulence theory which deals with the electrostatic harmonics of plasma oscillation [P. H. Yoon, Phys. Plasmas 7, 4858 (2000)] does not incorporate the effects arising from spontaneous thermal fluctuations. This paper remedies such a shortcoming by extending the discussion to include individual particle effects. The formalism which emerges from the present analysis not only depicts various spontaneous wave-particle interactions of the standard variety, but it can also be used to determine the initial levels of the electrostatic harmonics, a crucial feature which was missing from the previous theory and which had to be dealt with in an ad hoc manner. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.