Numerical Simulation of Autoresonant Ion Acceleration

Computational and analytic studies of the Autoresonant Acceleration proposal for collective ion acceleration are presented. Linear theory is reviewed, the electrostatic well depth is estimated nonlinearly, and an electron beam envelope equation is derived and solved. Two-dimensional numerical simulation results are given. Together, these calcualtions demonstrate unneutralized electron beam equilibrium in a diverging magnetic guide field, the behaviour of large amplitude slow cyclotron waves in the beam, and the acceleration of test ions over short distances in the wave troughs. In addition, the computer simulations point up the need for improved understanding of the linear theory of radially inhomogeneous noneutral beams and for methods of suppressing radial modulation at the diode-waveguide interface.