Formation of V-shaped potentials
Abstract
The V-shaped potential structures formed by the injection of a non-neutral electron current into a cold background plasma were simulated numerically. The injection disturbs the initial quasi-neutral plasma, leading to the excitation of strong turbulences which heat the plasma. This leads to expulsion of the plasma from the simulation region. Due to ambipolar electric fields the current injection is interrupted and the initial background plasma is extracted from the system. A particle composition with the characteristics of the two plasma reservoirs now represents the plasma in the simulation region. The interaction of the electron beam with this plasma excites turbulences of smaller amplitudes. A nearly constant time averaged potential drop with nonstationary distribution develops across the system. Single and multiple double layers may form for the duration of one ion plasma period.
- Publication:
-
European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research
- Pub Date:
- June 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983ESASP.183..269T
- Keywords:
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- Auroral Zones;
- Cross Coupling;
- Earth Ionosphere;
- Earth Magnetosphere;
- Electric Potential;
- Cold Plasmas;
- Electron Beams;
- Hot Electrons;
- Plasma Heating;
- Plasma-Particle Interactions;
- Geophysics