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Plasma electron-hole kinematics: momentum conservation

Dataset ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/5NXJZI· OSTI ID:1880969

We analyse the kinematic properties of a plasma electron hole: a non-linear self-sustained localized positive electric potential perturbation, trapping electrons, that behaves as a coherent entity. When a hole accelerates or grows in depth, ion and electron plasma momentum is changed both within the hole and outside it, by an energization process we call jetting. We present a comprehensive analytic calculation of the momentum changes of an isolated general one-dimensional hole. The conservation of the total momentum gives the hole's kinematics, determining its velocity evolution. Our results explain many features of the behavior of hole speed observed in numerical simulations, including self-acceleration at formation, and hole pushing and trapping by ion streams.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
DOE Contract Number:
SC0010491
OSTI ID:
1880969
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Cited By (1)

Plasma electron hole kinematics. I. Momentum conservation journal August 2016

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