Momentum-Exchange Current Drive by Electrostatic Waves in an Unmagnetized Collisionless Plasma

Abstract

For an electrostatic wave interacting with a single species in a collisionless plasma, momentum conservation implies current conservation. However, when multiple species interact with the wave, they can exchange momentum, leading to current drive. A simple, general formula for this driven current is derived. As examples, we show how currents can be driven for Langmuir waves in electron-positron-ion plasmas, and for ion-acoustic waves in electron-ion plasmas.