Effect of ion beam on the propagation of rarefactive solitons in multicomponent plasma with negative ions

Abstract

Propagation characteristics of rarefactive solitons excited in a multicomponent plasma with negative ions have been studied in the presence of a positive ion beam in a double plasma device. The Korteweg–de Vries equation for ion beam-multicomponent plasma system admits rarefactive (compressive) soliton solutions when the beam velocity is below (above) a critical value. An ion beam is found to enhance the amplitude of the rarefactive solitary waves. The Mach velocities and widths of the rarefactive solitons are measured for different beam velocities and compared with the theoretical results.