First Laboratory Observation of Freely Propagating Electrostatic Waves Produced by Intense, Localized Field Structures

Freely propagating electrostatic waves (free modes) are observed to be produced by intense, localized field structures in laboratory measurements performed in an unmagnetized plasma in a state of strong Langmuir turbulence. The freely traveling waves conform to the Langmuir dispersion relation and have an average frequency which is approximately 11% higher than the average frequency of the localized field structures. The observations are consistent with the predictions of strong Langmuir turbulence theory.