Generation of intermittent ion acoustic waves in whistler-mode turbulence

A two-dimensional, fully kinetic, electromagnetic, particle-in-cell simulation in a magnetized collisionless plasma has been performed, demonstrating the generation of intermittent ion acoustic waves in finite-amplitude whistler-mode turbulence. The self-consistent simulation shows that ion/ion acoustic instability can be driven as a consequence of the nonlinear evolution of whistler-mode turbulence. The instability triggering the generation of ion acoustic waves occurs intermittently in several local regions. We propose that the nonlinear development of the phase-space density that drives kinetic instabilities must be analyzed with greater care if the dissipation of plasma turbulence is to be understood. (C) 2017 Author(s).