Decay waves have been observed in the megahertz range in the helium plasma generated by the variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket magnetoplasma thruster. They are measured using one of the tips of a triple probe connected to a 50 V input of a spectrum analyzer via a dc block (a small capacitor). The maximum amplitude of all waves is in the center of the plasma and does not appear corre...

A systematic investigation has been made of ion-acoustic solitary waves in plasma consisting of cold positively and negatively charged ions, as well as nonthermal electrons. The basic features of the solitary waves are investigated by using the reductive perturbation method, which is valid for the small but finite amplitude waves. Computational investigations have been performed to examine the ...

It is argued that anisotropic electron pitch angle distributions in the closed magnetic field regions of the Martian ionosphere gives rise to excitation of plasma instabilities. We discuss two types of instabilities that are excited by two different populations of electrons. First, the generation of Langmuir waves by photoelectrons with energies of the order of 10 eV is investigated. It is pred...

The electron heating of the solar coronal plasma has remained one of the most important problems in solar physics. An explanation of the electron heating rests on the identification of the energy source and appropriate physical mechanisms via which the energy can be channelled to the electrons. Our objective here is to present an estimate for the electron heating rate in the presence of finite ...