Stochastic plasma heating by laser light
Buts V. A. , Stepanov K. N.
A new method for fast plasma heating is proposed. It involves the onset of a stochastic instability in the motion of electrons in three or more high-frequency {ω^ωρ), large-amplitude electromagnetic waves. The elementary resonant mechanism for the wave-particle interaction is normal (Compton) or anomalous scattering. The heating rate is considerably greater than for other heating methods at a given power of the electromagnetic radiation.