Large‐Amplitude Shocklets With Trapped Hot‐Electrons in Space Plasmas

Abstract

AbstractLarge‐amplitude stationary electron‐acoustic (EA) waves are studied, which are developed into the shocklets with the passage of time in an unmagnetized non‐isothermal plasma. The latter comprises two groups of electrons; namely the hot and cool electrons that are distinctly characterized by different electron densities and temperatures. On an EA timescale, the cool electrons behave as fluid, while non‐isothermal hot electrons obey the vortex‐like trapped distribution in the background of immobile ions. The nonlinear fluid equations are solved together both analytically and numerically within the framework of diagonalization matrix technique. Various parameters such as the free hot‐to‐trapped hot electron temperature ratio (β), the cool electron density ratio (α), and the cool‐to‐hot electron temperature ratio (σ) are numerically analyzed for dayside auroral zone plasma, showing a significant modification of solitary and shocklet structures. The plasma model is also applied to the electron diffusion region at the earth magnetopause, revealing the potential excitations depending significantly on the trapping parameter. These findings are important for understanding the nonlinear properties and steepening effects of the EA waves, especially in auroral zone and electron diffusion regions of earth's magnetosphere, where different types of electron populations are observed.