Formation of plasma density cavities caused by nonuniform stochastic electric fields

Abstract

The effect of depletion of the density of ions and electrons and the formation of a spatial cavity in a plasma-like medium due to inhomogeneous stochastic electric fields is considered. This effect is caused by collisions of charged plasma particles with random fluctuations of inhomogeneous electrostatic turbulence, as a result of which the particles are pushed out of the region with an increased level of fluctuations. To determine the final stationary distribution of the plasma density, the Fokker–Planck equation is used, the coefficients of which are determined from the equation of motion of particles in a stochastic electric field.