Evolution of nonlinear waves in compressing plasma

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3574343· OSTI ID:21537626

Schmit, P F; Dodin, I Y; Fisch, N J ^[1]

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1. Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 (United States)

Through particle-in-cell simulations, the evolution of nonlinear plasma waves is examined in one-dimensional collisionless plasma undergoing mechanical compression. Unlike linear waves, whose wavelength decreases proportionally to the system length L(t), nonlinear waves, such as solitary electron holes, conserve their characteristic size {Delta} during slow compression. This leads to a substantially stronger adiabatic amplification as well as rapid collisionless damping when L approaches {Delta}. On the other hand, cessation of compression halts the wave evolution, yielding a stable mode.

• OSTI ID: 21537626
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3574343; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
COMPRESSION
EVOLUTION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
PLASMA SIMULATION
PLASMA WAVES
SOLITONS
PLASMA
QUASI PARTICLES
SIMULATION