Ion-acoustic double layers in a magnetized low-beta plasma consisting of warm adiabatic ions, non-thermal electrons and electrons with a vortex-like distribution

Abstract

Ion-acoustic double layer structures propagating obliquely to an external uniform magnetic field have been considered in a low-beta plasma consisting of warm adiabatic ions, non-thermal electrons (due to Cairns et al) which generate fast energetic electrons, and electrons with a vortex-like distribution (due to Schamel), taking care of both free and trapped electrons, immersed in a uniform and static magnetic field. A combined Schamel's modified Korteweg–de Vries–Zakharov–Kuznetsov (S-KdV-ZK) equation more efficiently describes the nonlinear behavior of an ion-acoustic wave when the vortex-like velocity distribution function of electrons approaches the isothermal velocity distribution function of electrons, i.e. when the contribution of trapped electrons tends to zero. This combined S-KdV-ZK equation admits a double layer solution. The condition for the existence of this double layer solution has been discussed with respect to different parameters of the system.

Combined effects of electronic trapping and non-thermal electrons on the expansion of laser produced plasma into vacuum

“…For example, Volosevich et al (2006), Alinejad (2010), and Islam et al (2010) have studied the effect of the presence of non-thermal electrons, modeled by the distribution of Cairns et al (1995), and trapped electrons, modeled by the distribution of Schamel (1979), on the evolution of plasmas. They have shown the importance of the presence of the two effects on the existence and propagation of ion acoustic waves.…”