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Small-amplitude supersolitons near supercritical plasma compositions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2017

Carel P. Olivier ,
Frank Verheest  and
Shimul K. Maharaj
Carel P. Olivier*
Affiliation:
Centre for Space Research, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
Frank Verheest
Affiliation:
Sterrenkundig Observatorium, Universiteit Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B–9000 Gent, Belgium School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
Shimul K. Maharaj
Affiliation:
South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Space Science, PO Box 32, Hermanus 7200, South Africa Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville 7535, South Africa
*
†Email address for correspondence: carel.olivier@nwu.ac.za
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Abstract

Supercritical plasma compositions in parameter space are considered for a general fluid model consisting of an arbitrary number of species. This is done by applying a Taylor series expansion of the Sagdeev potential about the acoustic speed and the equilibrium electrostatic potential. A novel finding in this study is the description of small-amplitude supersolitons. Our analysis allows us to determine the plasma compositional criteria for such structures, as well as lower and upper bounds of their velocities and amplitudes. We therefore establish an interesting link between supercritical plasma compositions and the existence of supersolitons. The results are illustrated via a case study where plasmas consisting of cold ions and two Boltzmann electron species are considered.

Keywords

plasma nonlinear phenomena
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 83 , Issue 4 , August 2017 , 905830403
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2017 

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