Particle-in-cell simulation of the head-on collision of large amplitude ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisionless plasma

Abstract

The head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisionless plasma with cold ions and Boltzmann electrons is studied using the particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. It is shown that solitary waves of sufficiently large amplitudes do not retain their identity after a collision. Their amplitudes decrease and their forms change. In the collision of solitary waves, accelerated ions are formed. The ion velocities can reach three speeds of sound. Dependences of amplitudes of the potential and densities of ions and electrons after a head-on collision of identical solitary waves on their initial amplitude are presented.

Passage of an ion-acoustic solitary wave through the boundary between an electron-ion plasma and a negative ion plasma

“…A similar phenomenon of energy release by solitary waves was also observed during head-on collisions of solitary waves of large amplitudes [27][28][29] . Such collisions slow down the colliding solitary waves and then their propagation with previous velocities becomes impossible.…”

Classification of head-on collisions of ion-acoustic solitary waves in a plasma consisting of cold ions and Boltzmann electrons

“…As already mentioned, in a plasma with cold ions and Boltzmann electrons, a head-on collision of two solitary waves, at least one of which has a sufficiently large initial amplitude, leads to a loss of the identity of one or both of the solitary waves after the collision 28,29 . The amplitude of the solitary wave decreases, and its shape changes.…”

“…Here we do not discuss the process of collision of solitary waves and the formation of accelerated ions, because these phenomena have already been described in detail in Refs. 28,29. We intend to determine the range of initial amplitudes of solitary waves, in which the identities of solitary waves are preserved after the collision, and the range of initial amplitudes, in which these identities are not preserved.…”

“…In the case of large amplitudes of colliding solitary waves, the question of preserving their amplitudes and shapes after a collision requires special study. Recently, it was found that in the head-on collision of solitary waves of large amplitudes in a plasma consisting of cold ions and Boltzmann electrons, bunches of accelerated ions can form 28,29 . These ions have high velocities.…”

Head-on collision of dust-ion acoustic solitary waves in a plasma with a nonextensive electron

“…Analytically, in the collision of solitary waves, the solution of two Kortewege-de Vries (KdV) equations associated with two solitary waves can explain the resonance phenomena. During the last years, this technique has been frequently used in the literature to describe the head-on collision of solitary waves propagating in different media [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. On another side, space plasma observations invoke that the electron populations in the dusty plasma systems can presence in a non-equilibrium form [27][28][29][30][31][32][33].…”