Charge and current neutralization of an ion-beam pulse propagating in a background plasma along a solenoidal magnetic field

The analytical studies show that the application of a small solenoidal magnetic field can drastically change the self-magnetic and self-electric fields of the beam pulse propagating in a background plasma. Theory predicts that when ωce∼ωpeβb, where ωce is the electron gyrofrequency, ωpe is the electron plasma frequency, and βb is the ion-beam velocity relative to the speed of light, there is a sizable enhancement of the self-electric and self-magnetic fields due to the dynamo effect. Furthermore, the combined ion-beam-plasma system acts as a paramagnetic medium; i.e., the solenoidal magnetic field inside the beam pulse is enhanced.