Ion mass effects on shock-like structures in multi-species plasma

Abstract

Ion acoustic type shock-like structures based on the extended steady-state theory in multi-species plasma with different ion masses are studied. Using theoretical treatments, three simple models using continuous electron distribution functions at the separatrix (v 2 = 2φ), have been considered. From numerical studies on the existence of shock-like structures, we find the lowest limits of propagation velocity and amplitude of shock-like structures as a function of mass ratio (or density). In particle simulations, it is established for the case of a current driven system. Simulations are performed with an axially bounded electrostatic particle-in-cell (PIC) code XPDP1, which is a workstation version of the one-dimensional electrostatic bounded plasma code PDW1 [35][36][37]. The effect of the massive ion is to decrease the propagating velocity of the shock-like structures and decrease its maximum (or net) amplitude. Also, by increasing the density of the massive ion component, both the velocity of propagation and the maximum (or net) amplitude of the shock-like structure decreases.

Obliquely Propagating Monotonic Double Layers in a Magnetized Plasma

“…Having described a somewhat general formulation of double layers and solitary holes, we now proceed to give a concrete example. Consider the following Schamel-type electron distribution [13,[26][27][28]:…”

Nonlinear Propagation of Modified Electron Acoustic Monotonic Double Layers in a Semi-Relativistic Plasma

“…Having described a general formulation of monotonic double layers and solitary holes, we now proceed to give a concrete example. Let us consider the following Schameltype ion distribution [25][26][27][28]:…”

“…We now restrict ourselves to the case of small amplitude modified electron acoustic double layer. By using the quasineutrality condition and the drift approximation for the ions, we may expand the ion density as follows [26][27][28]:…”

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

“…The analytical study and numerical simulation of double layers are of interest in many areas of space plasma physics, namely ion-acoustic solitons with density depletion [1][2][3], ion and electron holes [4], phase space vortices [5] and weak double layers [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. The S3-3 and Viking satellite have shown the presence of double layers in the auroral plasma [7][8][9][10][11][12].…”