Nonlinear development of the negative‐mass instability and its effect on intense microwave generation

摘要

The nonlinear development of the negative‐mass instability is investigated for a thin E layer (Δ≪R0) located inside a cylindrical waveguide. A quasilinear analysis shows that the instability saturates by the development of an energy spread and a corresponding increase in thickness Δ of the E layer. The efficiency of microwave generation by this instability is also calculated.