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Jump discontinuity on the front of a rarefaction wave front in a plasma

Journal Article · · Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States)
OSTI ID:5543311
Hydrodynamic flow of a collisionless nonisothermal plasma is considered. It is shown that jump discontinuities are possible in such flows. The discontinuities have no finite width even though the applicable Poisson equations contain a parameter with the dimension of length, namely the Debye radius. Such a discontinuity can exist only under nonstationary conditions. It is shown that it is produced on the front of a rarefraction wave. The velocity of the discontinuity increases with the time t, and the jump of the ion density decreases in proportion to t/sup -2/. The discontinuity has the features of a caustic for the ions, and has no direct analog in ordinary hydrodynamics.
Research Organization:
P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences
OSTI ID:
5543311
Journal Information:
Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 54:4; ISSN SPHJA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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