Reduced kinetic description of weakly-driven plasma waves

A model of kinetic effects in Langmuir wave dynamics is presented using a nonlinear distribution function that includes particle separatrix crossing and self-consistent electrostatic evolution. This model is based on the adiabatic motion of electrons in the wave to describe Bernstein–Greene– Kruskal-like Langmuir waves over a wide range of temperatures 0.1 k D 0.4 . The asymptotic distribution function yields a nonlinear frequency shift of the Langmuir wave that agrees well with Vlasov simulations, and can furthermore be used to determine the electrostatic energy required to develop the phase-mixed, asymptotic state. From this incoherent energy, energy conservation is employed to determine a simplified model of nonlinear Landau damping. The resulting nonlinear, dynamic frequency shift and damping are then used in an extended three-wave-type model of driven Langmuir waves and compared to Vlasov simulations in the context of backward Raman scattering. © 2008 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2907777