Linear mode conversion (LMC) is the linear transfer of energy from one wave mode to another in an inhomogeneous plasma. It is relevant to laboratory plasmas and multiple solar system radio emissions, such as continuum radiation from planetary magnetospheres and type II and III radio bursts from the solar corona and solar wind. This paper simulates LMC of waves defined by warm, magnetized fluid theory, specifically the conversion of Langmuir/z-mode waves to electromagnetic (EM) radiation. The primary focus is the calculation of the energy and power conversion efficiencies for LMC as functions of the angle of incidence θ of the Langmuir/z-mode wave, temperature β=Te/mec2, adiabatic index γ, and orientation angle ϕ between the ambient density gradient ∇N0 and ambient magnetic field B0 in a warm, unmagnetized plasma. The ratio of these efficiencies is found to agree well as a function of θ, γ, and β with an analytical relation that depends on the group speeds of the Langmuir/z and EM wave modes. The results demonstrate that the energy conversion efficiency ϵ is strongly dependent on γβ, ϕ and θ, with ϵ∝(γβ)1/2 and θ∝(γβ)1/2. The power conversion efficiency ϵp, on the other hand, is independent of γβ but does vary significantly with θ and ϕ. The efficiencies are shown to be maximum for approximately perpendicular density gradients (ϕ≈90°) and minimal for parallel orientation (ϕ=0°) and both the energy and power conversion efficiencies peak at the same θ.
Linear mode conversion (LMC) is the linear transfer of energy from one wave mode to another in a density gradient. It is relevant to planetary continuum radiation, type II and III radio bursts, and ionospheric radio emissions. This paper analyzes LMC by calculating angle‐averaged energy (ε) and power (εp) conversion efficiencies in both 2‐D and 3‐D for Langmuir/z mode waves (including upper hybrid waves for perpendicular wave vectors) converting to free‐space radiation in turbulent plasmas. The averages are over the distributions of the incoming Langmuir/z mode wave vectors k, density scale lengths L, and angles α and δ, where α is the angle between k and the background magnetic field B0 and δ is the angle between the density gradient ∇N0 and B0. The results show that the averaged and unaveraged conversion efficiencies are dependent on γβ, where γ is the adiabatic index and β is related to the electron temperature Te by β = Te/mec2. The averaged energy conversion efficiencies are proportional to γβ in 2‐D and to (γβ)3/2 in 3‐D, whereas the power conversion efficiencies are proportional to (γβ)1/2 in 2‐D and γβ in 3‐D. The special case of a perpendicular density gradient (δ≈90°) is considered and used to predict the conversion efficiencies of terrestrial continuum radiation (TCR) in three known source regions: the plasmapause, magnetopause, and the plasma sheet. The observed energy conversion efficiencies are estimated and are found to be consistent with the 2‐D and 3‐D predicted efficiencies; importantly, these results imply that LMC is a possible generation mechanism for TCR. The polarization of TCR is also predicted: TCR should be produced primarily in the o mode at the plasmapause and in both the o and x modes at the magnetopause and plasma sheet. These predictions are consistent with previous independent predictions and observations.
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