Numerical model of plasma double layers using the Vlasov equation

Johnson, Lloyd E.

doi:10.1017/s0022377800022443

Cited by 23 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The front of the beam becomes unstable in exactly the same manner as was found in the particle simulation of Sakanaka (1972), which finally results in the sub-structure of an ion hole which is superimposed on the double layer. The onset of such a secondary ion trapping is also seen in the computer output of Johnson (1980) who followed the time-dependence and stability of double layers. There is therefore no doubt that electron and ion holes do exist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Theory of finite-amplitude electron and ion holes

1981

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Theory of finite-amplitude electron and ion holes

1981

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“…Thus, the application of a potential drop across a collisionless plasma may drive a double layer along with a host of other plasma processes (Singh and Schunk, 1982a). There are several laboratory experiments (Coakley and Hershkowitz, 1979;Iizuka et al, 1983Iizuka et al, , 1985 and numerical simulations (Joyce and Hubbard, 1978;Singh, 1980Singh, , 1982Singh and Thiemann, 1980a,b;Singh andSchunk, 1982a,c, 1983a;Johnson, 1980) in which DL'shave been driven by applied potential drops. Some of these experiments and simulations (Singh, 1982;Singh andSchunk, 1982a, 1983a) show remarkable similarities in both the processes leading to the formation of a DL and its dynamics.…”

Section: Applied Potential Dropmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electric fields and double layers in plasmas

1987

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Various mechanisms for driving double layers in plasmas are briefly described, including applied potential drops, currents, contact potentials, and plasma expansions. Some dynamical features of the double layers are discussed. These features, as seen in simulations, laboratory experiments, and theory, indicate that double layers and the currents through them undergo slow oscillations which are determined by the ion transit time across an effective length of the system in which the double layers form. It is shown that a localized potential dip forms at the low potential end of a double layer, which interrupts the electron current through it according to the Langmuir criterion, whenever the ion flux into the double is disrupted. The generation of electric fields perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field by contact potentials is also discussed. Two different situations have been considered; in one, a low-density hot plasma is sandwiched between high-density cold plasmas, while in the other a high-density current sheet permeates a low-density background plasma. Perpendicular electric fields develop near the contact surfaces. In the case of the current sheet, the creation of parallel electric fields and the formation of double layers are also discussed when the current sheet thickness is varied. Finally, the generation of electric fields (parallel to an ambient magnetic field) and double layers in an expanding plasmas is discussed.

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“…The suggestion that such electric fields parallel to the magnetic field occur in space plasmas reactivated research on double layers [Block, 1972[Block, , 1978Mozer et al, 1977;Shawhan et al, 1978]. A series of laboratory experiments [Lutsenko et al, 1975[Lutsenko et al, , 1976Quon and Wong, 1976;Coakley et al, 1978;Coakley and Hershkowitz, 1979;Leung et al, 1980;Torven and Lindberg, 1980;Baker et al, 1981] and numerical simulations [Goertz and Joyce, 1975;Joyce and Hubbard, 1978;Hubbard and Joyce, 1979;Singh, 1979Singh, , 1980Singh, , 1981Singh and Thiernann, 1980a, b;Johnson, 1980;Wagner et al, 1980;Sato and Okuda, 1981] have confirmed the formation of double layers in plasmas under different conditions and have shed some light on their dynamics and stability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamical features of moving double layers

Singh¹,

Schunk²

1982

J. Geophys. Res.

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Results on the motion of double layers from numerical simulations are presented. It was observed that after their formation double layers move toward the high‐potential side. In simulations with sufficiently long plasmas, the moving double layer was found to occur along with a series of other plasma phenomena. These include electron beam plasma turbulence and resulting plasma heating, plasma evacuation, electron current and ion current interruptions and subsequent recoveries, and the acceleration of ‘trapped’ ions on the low‐potential side in an expanding plasma front moving with the double layer. Furthermore, we observed recurring formation and motion of double layers with the above plasma phenomena repeating periodically. In the largest simulated plasma of length d = 400 λD, where λD is the Debye length at the low‐potential end of the plasma, the double layers became supersonic with respect to the ion acoustic speed. The accelerated ‘trapped’ ions moving with the double layer and the free ions accelerated by the double layer created counterstreaming ions on the low‐potential side of the layer. The question of double layer motion in relation to current continuity across it is examined. The effect of ion current injection on the double layer motion is simulated. The motion of double layers as seen in our simulations are compared with results from other simulations and those from laboratory experiments. The relevance of the simulation results to space plasmas is discussed, demonstrating that several observed phenomena in space plasma are qualitatively similar to those seen in the simulations.

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Numerical model of plasma double layers using the Vlasov equation

Cited by 23 publications

References 15 publications

Theory of finite-amplitude electron and ion holes

Theory of finite-amplitude electron and ion holes

Electric fields and double layers in plasmas

Dynamical features of moving double layers

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