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Arbitrary-amplitude rarefactive ion-acoustic double layers in warm multi-fluid plasmas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

S. Baboolal
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa and Plasma Physics Research Institute, University of Natal
R. Bharuthram
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa and Plasma Physics Research Institute, University of Natal
M. A. Hellberg
Affiliation:
Plasma Physics Research Institute, University of Natal, King George V Avenue, Durban 4001, South Africa

Abstract

Large- and small-amplitude rarefactive ion-acoustic double layers have recently been studied in a fluid plasma with double Maxwellian electrons and a single cold ion species. Here the stationary large-amplitude theory is generalized to include two warm ion species. A technique for numerically solving the full nonlinear problem is presented. With it, useful predictions of the effect of ion temperatures and of light-ion contamination on the double-layer structure are made. A generalization to an arbitrary number of similar fluid components is pointed out. The small-amplitude perturbation theory is also extended to such a plasma, and in its restricted regime good qualitative agreement is obtained with the results of the large-amplitude theory.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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