In an experiment carried out in a linear, unmagnetized plasma, evolution and propagation of nonlinear, rarefactive ion–acoustic pulses have been investigated. The nonlinear rarefactive pulse is observed to undergo fissioning as it propagates. Measurements of the ion velocity distribution function within the pulse indicate strong modifications of the distribution functions at velocities in the neighbourhood of the ion acoustic speed. Wave–particle interaction is thus shown to play an important role in the observed behaviour. Large-amplitude rarefactive pulses, while showing multiple fissioning, also exhibit a large-amplitude, low-frequency (≈30 kHz) oscillatory tail, downstream of the main pulse. The oscillatory tail is unlike the expected Airy function that normally accompanies a weakly nonlinear rarefactive pulse. The observations suggest the existence of ion-hole-like structures on the downstream side. The mechanism of the excitation seems to be through modification of the ion phase space due to trapping of ions in the negative potential well of the rarefactive pulse.