Features of long particle beam self-modulated in plasma
Under certain conditions, a long particle beam self-modulates in a dense plasma, that is, it breaks down into a train of short, stable microbunches under the influence of its own wakefield. During this process, the beam also changes its radial profile: initially having a Gaussian shape, it evolves to a highly peaked equilibrium state with a density singularity on the axis. This change makes individual beam slices several times more efficient at exciting the wakefield. We have developed an analytical iterative model describing the transverse equilibrium state of the microbunches, which is applicable to most beam cross-sections. The model is based either on the conservation of the transverse adiabatic invariant or on empirically established relationships in cases where adiabaticity is violated. It predicts the radial profiles of beam density and wakefield potential, as well as the particle distribution in the transverse phase space. The model is benchmarked against numerical simulations and demonstrates a high degree of accuracy. In addition to the full model, we present simplified engineering formulas based on elementary functions that bypass iterative procedures