Excitation of fast waves by slow waves near the lower-hybrid frequency

Resonant and nonresonant decay of short wavelength lower-hybrid waves into long wavelength whistler waves and ion acoustic waves are considered. It is shown that the dominant coupling to the ion acoustic mode arises from the magnetic force producing a pressure along the magnetic field lines. This decay instability provides a mechanism for dissipating the wave energy that is observed to accumulate in the lowest frequency lower-hybrid waves.