Electron hole and electron wave excitation in a plasma with transverse effects

Abstract

Excitation of electron holes and electron wave pulses is investigated numerically in a single-ended plasma by computer simulation using a particle model. The transverse effects are taken into account by introducing the perpendicular wavenumber in the Poisson equation. Increase in the plasma potential in front of a plasma source, resulting from propagation of the rarefaction pulse from an end boundary, gives rise to the excitation of electron holes, while the rarefaction pulse reflects back as the compression pulse toward the boundary. The qualitative properties are in good agreement with experiment.