Head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves in a plasma with a q-nonextensive electron velocity distribution

Abstract

In this paper, the characteristics of the head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) in the collisionless magnetic-field-free plasma consisting of cold ions, nonextensive electrons and thermal positrons are discussed using the extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo method. Two Kortewege–de Vries equations for solitary waves are derived and the analytical phase shifts after the head-on collision of two solitary waves are also obtained. The effects of the electron nonextensive distribution (q-parameter) on the phase shifts of both the colliding solitary waves are studied. It is found that the presence of nonextensive electrons plays a significant role in the collision of IASWs.