Anderson self-localization of light in pair plasmas
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866911385788612608 |
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| author | Lyutikov, Maxim Gurarie, Victor |
| author_facet | Lyutikov, Maxim Gurarie, Victor |
| contents | We demonstrate that in pair plasma weakly nonlinear electromagnetic waves, $a_0 \leq 1$, experience Anderson self-localization. The beat between the driver and a back-scattered wave creates charge-neutral, large random density fluctuations $δn/n_0 \gg 1$, and corresponding fluctuations of the dielectric permittivity $ε$ (random plasma density grating). Propagating in quasi-1D, waves in a medium with spatially random self-created fluctuations of dielectric permeability experience localization. {In the linear regime, the instability can be classified as Induced Brillouin Scattering; it is described by the parameter $ρ_L = \left( a_0 { ω_{p}/ }ω\right)^{2/3} \leq 1 $, related to the Pierce parameter of Free Electron Lasers. In the cold case, the growth rate is $Γ\approx ρ_{L} ω$ ($a_0 $ is laser nonlinearity parameter, $ω_p$ is plasma frequency, $ω$ is the laser frequency). } Anderson self-localization of light leads to (i) reflection of EM waves by the under-dense pair plasma; (ii) a wave already present inside the plasma separates into bright trapped pockets and dark regions. Mild initial thermal spread with $Θ\equiv k_B T/(m_e c^2) \approx a_0^2$, restores wave propagation by suppressing the seeds of parametrically unstable density fluctuations. A circularly polarized driver produces linearly polarized structures, with position angle varying randomly between the bright pulses. Time-variability of the resulting density structures does not suppress localization due to remaining corrections (not white noise). We discuss possible applications to astrophysical Fast Radio Bursts. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_20594 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Anderson self-localization of light in pair plasmas Lyutikov, Maxim Gurarie, Victor Plasma Physics High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Disordered Systems and Neural Networks We demonstrate that in pair plasma weakly nonlinear electromagnetic waves, $a_0 \leq 1$, experience Anderson self-localization. The beat between the driver and a back-scattered wave creates charge-neutral, large random density fluctuations $δn/n_0 \gg 1$, and corresponding fluctuations of the dielectric permittivity $ε$ (random plasma density grating). Propagating in quasi-1D, waves in a medium with spatially random self-created fluctuations of dielectric permeability experience localization. {In the linear regime, the instability can be classified as Induced Brillouin Scattering; it is described by the parameter $ρ_L = \left( a_0 { ω_{p}/ }ω\right)^{2/3} \leq 1 $, related to the Pierce parameter of Free Electron Lasers. In the cold case, the growth rate is $Γ\approx ρ_{L} ω$ ($a_0 $ is laser nonlinearity parameter, $ω_p$ is plasma frequency, $ω$ is the laser frequency). } Anderson self-localization of light leads to (i) reflection of EM waves by the under-dense pair plasma; (ii) a wave already present inside the plasma separates into bright trapped pockets and dark regions. Mild initial thermal spread with $Θ\equiv k_B T/(m_e c^2) \approx a_0^2$, restores wave propagation by suppressing the seeds of parametrically unstable density fluctuations. A circularly polarized driver produces linearly polarized structures, with position angle varying randomly between the bright pulses. Time-variability of the resulting density structures does not suppress localization due to remaining corrections (not white noise). We discuss possible applications to astrophysical Fast Radio Bursts. |
| title | Anderson self-localization of light in pair plasmas |
| topic | Plasma Physics High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Disordered Systems and Neural Networks |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20594 |