GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 27, NO.

16, PAGES 2469-2472, AUGUST 15, 2000

Three-dimensional structure of electron holes driven by an

electron

beam

NagendraSingh,S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, C. Deverapalli

Departmentof electricalandcomputerEngineering,Universityof Alabamain Huntsville,Huntsville,Alabama

Abstract. Using 3-D particle-in-cell(PIC) simulationswe

studiedthe structureand temporalbehaviorof electronholes
(e-holes)in a magnetizedplasmadrivenby an electronbeam.
When e-holesare fully evolvedfrom high-frequency
wavesin
a time of abouta few tensof electronplasmaperiods,mostof
the wave energyin the plasmaresidesin them. Parallelto the
ambientmagneticfield Bo,the potentialdistributionof an ehole is approximatelya Gaussian,and the scalelengthgz is
only a few Debye lengthswhen determinedby the effective
temperature of the beam-modified electron distribution
function. Transverseto Bo,the potentialdistributiontendsto
have a flat top, which makes it difficult to fit a Gaussian
distribution,but the scalelengths
at whichthe potentialdecays
in the transversedirections(gxand gz) are found to be only
slightly longer than gz. The passagesof electron holes
monitoredat severalpoints in the simulationvolume has the
signature of bipolar parallel electric field and unipolar
perpendicularelectric-fieldpulses as measuredfrom FAST
and POLAR. The eventualdecayof e-holesis accompanied
by the generationof lowerhybrid (gh) waves.

2. Simulation

Model

Simulationswere preformedusinga fully 3-D electrostatic

parallel PIC code [Loo et al., 1999]. Periodic boundary
conditionson both particles and fields were used. We
performedseveralsimulationsby varyingthe size of the 3-D

simulationvolumegivenby LxxLyxLz.The lengthof the

simulationbox parallelto the ambientmagneticfield Bo is Lz
and it was fixed at 2563.ao
while the transversedimensionsLx

andLy were variedfrom 16 to 64 3.ao.In the simulations

performedso far, the beam velocity along z (llBo) was
assumedto be Vb=4Vteor 8 Vte,where Vtis the initial electron
thermal velocity. The initial electronand ion temperatures
were assumed to be equal, that is, Te=Ti-To
and
Vte=(kBro/me) /2, where kB is the Boltzmann constant and

me is the electronmass. Beam temperaturewas varied in

differentsimulations,
but aslongas Vb>> Vte Vtb,thebeam
thermalvelocity,the actualvalue of Vt did not mattermuch.
In the runswe used36 pairsof electronsand ionsin eachcell

of sizeao3. Theelectron
beamdensity
nbwas10%. The
simulationswere performed for ion to electron mass ratio

M/me = 1836,and /COpo- 2 and5, where and%o are

the electroncyclotronand plasmafrequencies,respectively.
In our discussions
we have usedthe following normalizations

1. Introduction

Recent observationsof electronholes (e-holes) as solitary

potential pulses [Omura et al., 1996; Mozer et al., 1997;
Ergun et al., 1998a,b; Franz et al., 1999] have renewed
interestin them despitetheir known formation in electronbeamplasmasystemsincethe earlywork of Berk and Roberts
[1967]. Schamell [1982] studiedthese structuresas BGK
modes. One- and two-dimensionaldouble layer simulations
revealedtheir formation as solitarypotential pulses [Singh
and Schunk,1984; Singhet al., 1987]. In responseto recent
observations of electron holes, further studies have been
performed [Omura et al., 1996; Miyake et al., 1998;
Muschiettiet al., 1999; Goldmanet al., 1999; Oppenheimet
al., 1999; Singh, 2000]. However, most of the theoretical
studiesare limited in dimensionality. Observationsreported
by Ergun et al. [1998a] clearlyshowthat e-holestructures
in
the auroralreturn currentregion are three-dimensionalwith
comparableelectric field componentparallel to the ambient
magneticfield B0, sayEj, and the two transversecomponents

anddefinitions:
distance
= x/ao,time = t O)po
, velocity
V: V / Vte,

potential

= e{ / kaTo,

electric

field

E = E/(!caTo/ekao),
and kao
= Vt/COpo,.In the figuresthe
normalizedquantitiesappearwithoutthebar on top.
3. Numerical

Results

We find thatonlywhenthe electronbeamis relativelyslow

long lasting e-hole structuresform. For very fast electron
beamssuchstructuresare transitory. Therefore,we present
resultshere for a beamwith Vo=4Vte.
Spatial Distribution: Figuresl a and lb show the temporal
evolution of the potential q(t) and parallel electric field
Ez(t) at the observation
point(32,32,5), respectively.Figure

1c showsEyat the observation

point(32,48,5). Theplotsfor
4)and Ez showthat for -<_120, the temporalevolutionis

dominatedby fast oscillations

which arehigh-frequency
(HF)
Ex andEy. Even the observations
from Geotailsometimes waves. As shownlater,the dominantfrequencycomponentin
is co-0.8%o. The most noteworthy
show transverseelectric fields of the e-holes [Omura et al., the HF oscillations
features
of
{(t)
(Figure
l a) and Ez(t) (Figure lb) are that
1999]. The purposeof thispaperis to reportthe formationof
nearly disappear
the 3-D structure of electron holes and their temporal after about [- 120 the fast oscillations
evolutionas seenin 3-D particle-in-cell(PIC) simulationsof a rather abruptly and the time evolution is dominatedby
unipolarpositivepotentialpulsesin {(t) and bipolarpulses
magnetizedplasmadrivenby an electronbeam.
in E(t), like solitarypulsesmeasured
from FAST [Ergunet
al.,
1998a]
and
POLAR
[Mozer
et
al., 1997]. The
Copyright2000 by the AmericanGeophysicalUnion.
perpendicularelectric-field component(Figures l c) also
showsthis transformation.Sincethe sign and magnitudeof
the perpendicularcomponents
dependon the relativelocation

Papernumber2000GL003766.
0094-8276/00/2000GL003766505.00

2469

2470

SINGH ET AL.: 3-D STRUCTURE

OF ELECTRON
15

HOLES
'

50

'

(a)

1.,5
0.,5

I0

-0.,5

-1.5
0.3

'Eu
,

25

SP

.........

0.0

0.25

2 O.Ol

0.10

1.00

' '

Figure 3. Frequency
spectraof E(t). (Figurelb) andEy(t)
(Figure l c). (a) For _<120 and (b) for Z>_120. Solid line
curvesareforE whilethedottedcurvesareforEy.

0.00
-0.25

10

= 50, suchpulsesarebeginning
to form,but stillat thistime
the potentialsvariationsareoscillatoryin bothtime andspace
Figure 1. Temporalevolutionof fields at the point (32,32,5): as revealedby the presenceof both positive and negative
magnitudes.Figure2 also shows
(a) 4(t) and (b) Ez(t). (c) Ey(t) at thepoint(32,48,5). Note potentialsof comparable
the emergenceof unipolar positive potential pulses and that in addition to the localization of the wave power in
bipolar pulses of Ez from the high-frequencywaves after positivepotentials,the regionsof positivepotentialshave
t -120. For the bipolar pulses of Ez(t), the corresponding begunto coalesce. It is worth noting that the early-time
pulsesin Eyareunipolar.
structurein Figure 2 appearsto be quite analogousto the
early-timestructureformedin 2-D simulations
of Oppenheim
et
al.
[1999].
of the observationpoint with respectto the 3-D structureof
The coalescenceand localization are accompaniedby
the solitarypulses,we now examinethe spatialstructureof
increasing
rectification of the waves; increasinglylarger
the solitary pulses before we further elaborate on the
positive
potentials
developat the expenseof the decreasing
perpendicular
component.
Figure2 showsan exampleof the spatialstructureof the

negativepotentials.We find thatfor [_<30, the amplitudes

the solitarywaves. In this figure equipotentialcontoursare

of the positiveand negativeperturbations

are nearly equal
whileat = 50 themaximumpositivepotentialis max
2.2

that a significant level of wave power occurs for

in the simulationvolume. The rectificationis causedby the

waves when the HF waves dominatebefore the emergenceof

plottedin thex-z planeat = 32 and[ = 50. Thestructure

in while the minimumnegativepotentialis 4min--1.5. This
the y-z planeat = 32 if foundto be qualitativelysimilar. A processcontinuesuntil the negativepotentialsare much
Fourieranalysisof the 2-D wave structurein Figure2 reveals weakerthan the positivepotentialslocalizedin a few pulses
k, =m2rclLz with rn = 8-10, whichcorresponds
to parallel trapping of electronsin positive potential wells. The
is a consequence
of the fact that for the oblique
wavelengthsXll 25-30Xdo.If these waves are resonantly coalescence
driven by the beam, their frequenciesare determinedby

co"' 2 rc1/b/ Xll andtheylie in therange0.8Z co<copo.

Figure
3a showsthe frequencyspectrumof Ez(t) for t _<120 shown
in Figurelb. Thereis a relativelybroadpeakin the spectrum

peakingat co 0.8copo. The HF wavesin this frequency

band belong to the oblique resonance cone (RC)
waves[Fisherand Gould, 1971; Singh and Gould, 1971].
The interference between the wave modes described here and

their nonlinear evolutionleads to localizationof wave power

in positivepotentialpulses. Figure 2 showsthat alreadyat
64
48

32
16
0

0
0

64

128

192

64

128

192

256

Figure 4. Localizationof the wave power into a few PPPsat

t =400. Equipotentialcontoursin (a) x-z plane at = 32,
Figure 2. Wave structures
at = 50 whenhigh-frequency and (b) y-z plane at = 32. The contourlevels are as in
wavesdominate.Equipotential
contoursareshownin the x-z Figure 2. Pulse #1 and #2 are approximatelycenterednear
planeat = 32. Contourfor qb
= 0 is labeled;therestof the = 32 and = 32 and as they travel they repeatedlypass
contoursare at intervalsof A = 0.5. The solid and dotted throughthe point (32,32,5), producingthe time historyof the
fields shownin Figures1a and lb.
contoursshowpositiveandnegativepotentials.
_

SINGH ET AL.: 3-D STRUCTURE

wavesfor c0< CO
po, ell< 0. In sucha mediumthe Coulomb
forcebetweenlike chargesis attractive,unlikethe repulsive
forcefor ell> 0 [e.g., seeBekefi,1966]. Thusthe regions
with positivepotentialsmergeinto a few solitarypositive
potentialpulses(PPPs)in the entiresimulationbox, as shown
in Figures4a and 4b. The PPPsare the e-holes.
In Figures4a and 4b equipotential
contoursare plottedat

OF ELECTRON

HOLES

2471

2.5

2.0
1.5

=400 in the x-z (,F=32) and y-z plane (=32),

respectively.Thesefiguresshowthat thereare a few PPPsin

the simulationvolume, but there are two approximately

centered at (32,32,63) and (32,32,175), and they are
numberedas 1 and 2 in Figures4a and 4b. The PPP #1 has

1.0
0.5

the peak potential 4max

2.2 and PPP #2 has 4max
--1.5. The
0.0
other PPPs do not extendto the horizontalline passing
throughthe point (32,32) in the x-y planesand they are
-32
-16
0
16
32
relativelyweaker. This spatial distributionof PPPs has a
S
directbeatingon thetimeplotsin Figuresla-lc. The solitary
positivepulsesin Figure l a are the manifestationof PPPs#1 Figure 5. Structureof PPP #1 at i = 400. The horizontal
and#2 repeatedly
passingthroughthepoint(32,32, 5) with a axis(S) is the distancefrom the centerof the pulsealongthe
nearlyperfectperiodicity.The pulse# 1 is strongerof the two x, y, and z directions. The curvesmarked 'x', 'y', and 'z'
pulses
untilabout- 700, asmentioned
above.Wepointout give the spatialvariationsof 4)(x,y,z) alongthe x, y, and z
that the simulationsystemis periodic,so when the pulses directions,respectively. The dot-dashedcurve is a Gaussian
reach z = Lztheyreappearat z -0, andpropagatethroughthe fit to the z-curveas explainedin the text.
systemrepeatedly.As expectedthe periodicityof the pulse
#1is pi68(-0po
-1which
yields
avelocity
ofPPP#1given
by where the electricfield componentsare about zero. In this
Vj256)ao/68O)po-l3.8Vte,
which
is slightly
smaller
thanthe figurethe distanceS = r- rc wherer standsfor x, y, or z. The
initialbeamvelocityVb= 4Vte. Likewisethepulse#2 hasthe solid,dashed,anddottedcurvesshowthe variationof 4)with
sameperiodicityandnearlythe samevelocity. Thusthe PPPs z, y, and x, respectively. For 4(z) we have fitted a Gaussian
propagatealongthe positivez axis with a velocityslightly distributiongivenby 4(s)= 4oexp[-S2 / 22z], where 4ois
smallerthanthe initial electronbeamvelocity.The periodic the amplitudeof the pulse and ez is the scalelengthfor
traversalof the PPPsthroughthe point (32,32,5) gives the variationwith z. The dot-dashedcurve straddlingthe curve
bipolarpulsesin the Ez time-series
plot as shownin Figure for 4(z) showsthe fit with o= 2.2 and z= 6.5. For 4(x)
lb; first the positivefield appearsfollowedby the negative and 4(y) it is difficultto fit a simpleGaussian
shapebecause
field. The positive field is parallel to the motion of the the top of the pulsetendsto have a flat top and it shows
pulses,whichis alongthe initial beamvelocity. The point oscillations.The flat top makesthe pulsebroaderin x andy
(32,48,5) falls in the regionof the large slope c4/ in the directions,but whenthe potentialdecaysthe scalelengths
ex
potentialprofileof PPP#1 (seeFigure4b) whenit repeatedly and ey associated
with the decayarefoundto be comparable

themaximum
valuesof E., Ey andEz are
passes
through = 5. Thisgenerates
largepositive
Eypulses to z- Therefore
as shownin Figure 1c. The point (32,48,5) falls in the outer

foundto be comparable.We performedsimilaranalysison

regionof the PPP#2, thusthe corresponding

Eypulsesare differentPPPsat differenttimesand foundthat he parallel
relativelyweak. Similarfeaturesof thetransverse
component variation(4)(z)) can alwaysbe fitted with a Gaussianshape
Ex arealsoseenat strategically
locatedpoints.

with ez of the orderof few Debyelengths. But the variation

We pointoutherea majorcontrast
betweenour3-D and2- in the transverse
directionsare more complex;the potential
D resultsof Oppenheim
et al. [1999]. In 2-D simulations pulse is generally broader in these directions but the
electronholeshave essentiallyEll as they are long structures maximumvalue of the transverse
field components
can be
in the transverse dimensions. This is the reason why

Oppenheim
et al. call them"tubes"in theirpresentation
in

comparable
to Ezmaxasexplainedabove.
The excitation of the h-f waves and the formation of the e-

terms
of IEI2. Onlyatlatetimes
of several
thousand
O)po
-1 holesplateauthe electronvelocitydistributionby 120.
whenthetubesdecay,Oppenheim
et al. showformationof e- The plateaueddistributionfunctionhas an averagedrift of
holeswith significantperpendicular
electricfields. During Va=0.4Vteandaneffective
temperature
of Teff---2.2To,
which
this late time the electron holes are embedded in whistler
yields an effective Debye length of Xa---1.5Xao, and
waves. In contrast,in our 3-D simulationse-holeshave f z---6.5)ao_--4.3)a. For the Gaussianpulse the maximum

ElI -El assoonastheHF turbulence

subsides
andsolitary valueof the parallelelectricfield Ezmax---4)o/ ez4e. The above
2.2 gives Ezmax---0.22 as seen from
structures
emerge(Figuresl a-1c). We point out that in 2-D value of ez and qo_-simulations
of Oppenheim
et al. /e / COpo
- 5. We findthatin Figurelb near[ 400. Figure
1e shows
thatErmax
is of the
our 3-D simulationsthe formationand dynamicsof e-holes similarmagnitude
near[ 400. Fortheabovevalueof qo,
arenearlyidentical
for -e/O)po=2
and5. Thuswe suspect
that

eq)o/kB
Teff_--1
for whichthe value of ez foundaboveis

thedimensionality
of thesimulation
mattersa greatdealin the

somewhatlargerthantheminimumsizepredictedby the BGK

modelof Muschiettiet al., [ 1999].

evolution and structure of the e-holes.

Parallel and PerpendicularScalelengths'Figure5 shows Decay of Electron Holes' The frequencyspectraof the data
the spatialpotentialdistributions
4)(x-xc,y- yc,z - z) of PPP for E_(Figurelb) andEy(Figurel c) for [ < 120and [ > 120
#1. Thepoint (Xc,y,Zc) is thecenterof thepotential
pulse are shown in Figures3a and 3b, respectively. The wave

2472

powerin Ez dominates
thepowerin Eyonlyat theearlytimes resultsare not clear. It appearsthat the dimensionalityis a
< 120 and for high frequencies
c0> 0.7COpo
as seenfrom key factor in determiningthe spatialstructureand temporal
Figure3a for < 120. Thepeakat c0---0.2
COpo,
markedby SP evolution of e-holes.
(solitarypulse) in Figure 3b, occursin the spectraof both Ez

andEy,andit corresponds
to theperiodictraversalof the PPP
#1 and 2 throughthe plane J-5

as shownin Figuresl a and

The temporal behavior (Figures l a-lc) and spatial

distributionof e-holes nicely mimic the temporal behavior
measuredfrom satellites. Our 3-D simulationspredict a
periodiclattice structureof e-holes. The fast parallel motion

l c. The power in Ey dominates

the powerin Ez at low
frequencies
c0< 0.05C0po
when > 120 (Figure2b). In the of e-holes in the lattice combined with the slow satellite
simulationthe lowerhybrid (h)frequencyis c0eh
--_0.2 COpo. velocity allows us to construct the measured temporal
The

large

wave

power

in

the

frequency band

behavior.

0.02 co/COpo
_<0.05beginsto appearonlyafteraboutt = 500
when very low-frequencyoscillationsbegin to modulatethe

time-seriesplot for Ey shownin Figure l c. As the low

Acknowledgements. This work was supportedby NSF grant

ATM9814571.

frequency oscillations develop, the e-hole structure References

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_

whilethe structure
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peakpotentialhas decayedand it is almostfragmented.From
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predominantlyperpendicularelectric fields. This decay
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whistler waves. In 3-d simulationsalso the holes eventually

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64

128

192

256

Nagendra Singh, S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, C. Deverapalli,

Departmentof Electrical and ComputerEngineering,University of
Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville,AL 35899. (email: smloo,wells,
singhece.uah.edu)

Figure 6. Gray scaleplotsof potentialdistributionin the x-z

plane at =1000.
The whiter and darker scales show
increasingand decreasingpotentials. Note the fragmentation (ReceivedFebruary16, 2000; revisedJune5, 2000;
of the holesandwavesradiatingfrom theminto the plasma.
acceptedJune9, 2000.)