Langmuir wave filamentation instability

Abstract

A Langmuir wave (LW) model is constructed whose equilibria are consistent with stimulated Raman scatter optimization, with Hamiltonian dynamics and with rotational invariance. Linear instability analysis includes terms to all orders in wave amplitude and fluctuation wavenumber expansions, deltak. Resultant LW modulational instability is nonstandard: as the LW amplitude increases, unstable deltak range first expands and then shrinks to zero. Large amplitude wave model dynamics requires hyper-diffraction terms if k LambdaD < 0.45, lest artificially small length scales become unstable.