Electron Beam Propagation in a Plasma

Electron beam propagation in a fully ionized plasma has been studied using a one-dimensional particle simulation model. We compare the results of electrostatic simulations to those of electromagnetic simulations. The electrostatic results show the essential features of beam-plasma interactions. It is found that the return currents are enhanced by the beam-plasma instability which accelerates ambinet plasmas. The results also show the heating of ambient plasmas and the trapping of plasmas due to the locally generated electric field. The electromagnetic simulations show much the same results as the electrostatic simulations do. The level of the radiation generated by the same non-relativistic beam is slightly higher than the noise level. We discuss the results in context in context of the heating of coronal plasma during solar flares.