Computational study of nonlinear plasma waves. II. Sideband instability and satellite growth

The low-noise plasma simulation model is applied to study two phenomena associated with large amplitude wave propagation and the resulting particle trapping: sideband instability and satellite wave growth. Simulations are carried out to observe amplification of test waves and growth from noise. They are performed in parameter ranges for which detailed quantitative comparison with available theories is possible, and which are readily accessible experimentally. The study of sideband instability confirms the applicability of quasi-linear theory at short times, and parametric coupling theory in the time-asymptotic limit, and reproduces features analogous to those observed in laboratory experiments. The growth of a satellite wave in the presence of a large amplitude wave and a test wave is shown to be explicable by a simple theory involving slow modulation of the large amplitude wave