Two-dimensional PIC simulation of collective Thomson scattering in a beam-plasma system

Collective Thomson scattering (CTS) in a beam-plasma system is reproduced by using 2D particle-in-cell simulations, and the characteristics of the scattered wave spectrum are examined. By formulating the geometric shape of the scattered wave spectrum in wave number space, where the velocity vector of the beam component and the wave vectors of the incident and scattered waves are arbitrary, we have demonstrated that the spectrum in 2D wave number space becomes asymmetric. The spectrum of scattered waves propagating in a specific direction is presented as a function of wavelength to show that the electron (ion) feature is amplified and becomes asymmetric or distorted when the Buneman (ion acoustic) instability occurs. An additional simulation is conducted for a weak, linearly stable beam–plasma system with a hot beam, and we confirmed that the obtained scattered wave spectrum shows asymmetric feature. The results are expected to be applicable to the interpretation of radar observations of ionospheric plasmas as well as CTS measurements in laboratory plasmas.