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Yoon et al. 2006
Yoon, P.H., Rhee, T. and Ryu, C. (2006). Self-consistent formation of electron $\kappa$ distribution: 1. Theory. Journal of Geophysical Research 111. doi: 10.1029/2006JA011681. issn: 0148-0227.

Since the early days of plasma physics research suprathermal electrons were observed to be generated during beam-plasma laboratory experiments. Energetic electrons, often modeled by $kappa$ distributions, are also ubiquitously observed in space. Various particle acceleration mechanisms have been proposed to explain such a feature, but all previous theories rely on either qualitative analytical method or on non-self-consistent approaches. This paper discusses the self-consistent acceleration of electrons to suprathermal energies by weak turbulence processes which involve the Langmuir/ion-sound turbulence and the beam-plasma interaction. It is discussed that the spontaneous scatttering process, which is absent in the purely collisionless theory, is singularly responsible for the generation of $kappa$ distributions. The conclusion is that purely collisionless Vlasov theory cannot produce suprathermal population.

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Abstract

Keywords
Interplanetary Physics, Energetic particles, Interplanetary Physics, Plasma waves and turbulence, Interplanetary Physics, Solar wind plasma, Interplanetary Physics, General or miscellaneous
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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