Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2008
Assuming a non-relativistic three species electron–positron–ion plasma, the counterstreaming instability is investigated for waves propagating parallel and perpendicular to a homogeneous background magnetic field. From the exact linear dispersion relations, it is shown analytically how the growth rates change with increasing baryon loading, revealing new characteristics that cannot be found either for an unmagnetized plasma involving three particle species or for a plasma with only two particle species.