Nonlinear Development of the Resistive Filamentation Instability

A two-dimensional particle simulation of the resistive filamentation instability on a charge- and current-neutralized beam is performed. The model equations employed depend essentially on only one dimensionless parameter, making feasible a numerical survey of the parametric dependence of the nonlinear behavior of the instability. The simulation results are analyzed with reference to the focusing requirements of heavy-ion beams acting as drivers for pellet fusion.