Observation of quasi-periodic frequency sweeping in electron cyclotron emission of nonequilibrium mirror-confined plasma

Abstract

Chirping frequency patterns have been observed in the electron cyclotron emission from strongly nonequilibrium plasma confined in a table-top mirror magnetic trap. Such patterns are typical for the formation of nonlinear phase space structures in a proximity of the wave-particle resonances of a kinetically unstable plasma, also known as the "holes and clumps" mechanism. Our data provides the first experimental evidence for acting of this mechanism in the electron cyclotron frequency domain.