Stimulated Raman scattering and ion dynamics: the role of Langmuir wave non-linearities

The saturation of the Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) is studied by means of wave-coupling numerical simulations. A new code (CHEOPS) has been designed in order to model these couplings, in real 1-D space, with aperiodic boundary conditions. Each wave can be represented either by a complete amplitude or by an envelope amplitude only. The choice of the wave set to be coupled allows to investigate separately some mechanisms relevant in long time SRS evolution. The various mechanisms which may inhibit SRS growth are reviewed and the SRS saturation scenarios are exhibited in an homogeneous density plasma slab. The ion dependent mechanisms appear to be the most efficient ones to saturate SRS. Their importance is strongly bound to the electron temperature and to the ion fluctuation level at time when SRS has already grown many e-foldings