Soliton formation at critical density in laser-irradiated plasmas
Abstract
The generation of Langmuir solitons at the resonance layer in a plasma irradiated by a strong high-frequency pump is investigated. The process is modelled by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation including an external pump, a density gradient and linear damping. The evolution equation is reformulated as an exact variational principle and the one-soliton generation process is studied by substituting various trial solutions. The applicability conditions for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation are re-examined and found to be more restrictive than previously stated.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Plasma Physics
- Pub Date:
- October 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S002237780001014X
- Bibcode:
- 1979JPlPh..22..339A
- Keywords:
-
- Electrostatic Waves;
- Laser Plasmas;
- Nonuniform Plasmas;
- Plasma-Electromagnetic Interaction;
- Schroedinger Equation;
- Solitary Waves;
- Nonlinear Equations;
- Perturbation Theory;
- Plasma Density;
- Plasma Resonance;
- Variational Principles;
- Wave Excitation;
- Plasma Physics