3D electron‐acoustic solitary waves introduced by phase space electron vortices in magnetized space plasmas

Abstract

We derive a multi‐dimensional nonlinear equation for electron‐acoustic waves in magnetized plasmas composed of stationary ions, magnetized cold electrons with a significant fraction of electron beams, and magnetized hot electrons which have a non‐isothermal vortex‐like distribution. We find three‐dimensional (3D) electron‐acoustic solitary waves which have a stronger nonlinearity (in comparison with that associated with the traditional harmonic generation) due to the trapping of hot electrons in the localized electron‐acoustic wave potential. The relevance of our investigation to nonlinear structures (e.g., the bipolar parallel electric fields) in the Earth's magnetosphere is discussed.