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Ion acoustic traveling waves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2014

G. M. Webb ,
R. H. Burrows ,
X. Ao  and
G. P. Zank
G. M. Webb*
Affiliation:
Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
R. H. Burrows
Affiliation:
Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
X. Ao
Affiliation:
Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
G. P. Zank
Affiliation:
Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA Department of Physics, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

Models for traveling waves in multi-fluid plasmas give essential insight into fully nonlinear wave structures in plasmas, not readily available from either numerical simulations or from weakly nonlinear wave theories. We illustrate these ideas using one of the simplest models of an electron–proton multi-fluid plasma for the case where there is no magnetic field or a constant normal magnetic field present. We show that the traveling waves can be reduced to a single first-order differential equation governing the dynamics. We also show that the equations admit a multi-symplectic Hamiltonian formulation in which both the space and time variables can act as the evolution variable. An integral equation useful for calculating adiabatic, electrostatic solitary wave signatures for multi-fluid plasmas with arbitrary mass ratios is presented. The integral equation arises naturally from a fluid dynamics approach for a two fluid plasma, with a given mass ratio of the two species (e.g. the plasma could be an electron–proton or an electron–positron plasma). Besides its intrinsic interest, the integral equation solution provides a useful analytical test for numerical codes that include a proton–electron mass ratio as a fundamental constant, such as for particle in cell (PIC) codes. The integral equation is used to delineate the physical characteristics of ion acoustic traveling waves consisting of hot electron and cold proton fluids.

Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 80 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 147 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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References

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